Every Now And Then
by autumnrose2010
Summary: A modern day Jo and Fritz find their lives intertwined with those of another couple from more than seventy years in the past.
1. Arrival In New York

Jo arrived at the brownstone on a Saturday, ready to start her job as governess to the wealthy Kirke children. It hadn't exactly been a spur of the moment decision to come, but neither had she thought about it long and hard. She'd been restless, impatient for change, and in the job offer, she'd seen an opportunity for adventure.

After the taxi dropped her off, she stood gazing at the building for a few seconds. It was three stories high, and to Jo, it seemed to have far too many angles. Seven cement steps led up to the front door. The building was surrounded by small but tidy gardens, and in front was a brown block and wrought iron fence. Sparse trees grew at regular intervals along the sidewalk.

Well, here goes nothing, she thought to herself as she began to climb the steps. When she reached the top, she rang the doorbell, then just stood there, tapping her foot and humming to herself, until the door swung open.

The woman who'd opened the door was stylishly dressed in white slacks and a red sweater. She had shoulder-length, curly dark brown hair and looked to be about thirty-five.

"Good evening, ma'am," said Jo. "I'm Jo March."

"Oh, yes. I was expecting you." The woman smiled and shook her hand. "I'm Sharon Kirke. It's so nice to meet you. Come on in. I'll introduce you to the girls."

The living room was large and spacious. The walls were painted white, and a chandelier hung from the ceiling. Two large windows at one end let in light, and the walls held several large paintings and also had niches for small plants. A sofa was against one wall, and two little girls of about seven and five sat on it, watching television. They both had long, straight brown hair, a couple of shades lighter than their mother's, and they both had hazel eyes and freckles.

"Come and meet your new governess, Miss March," Sharon called to them. They walked over and stood staring at Jo. The older girl blew a pink bubble with her gum and it popped.

"This is Kerri, and this is Kelli," Sharon told Jo.

"Hello, girls," said Jo, reaching to shake each of their hands.

"Hello," both girls replied.

"What are you watching?" asked Jo.

"Spongebob Squarepants," Kerri told her.

"That's a funny show, isn't it?" asked Jo. "I like it too! May I watch it with you?"

"Yes ma'am," said Kerri.

"Please don't call me ma'am," said Jo. "It makes me feel so old!"

She watched television with her new charges until Sharon came in to tell them dinner was ready.

"You're welcome to join us, Miss March," she added.

"Thanks," Jo replied. "And please, just call me Jo."

The dining room was also large and looked cozy, with a fireplace against one wall. The table was white and was surrounded by four chairs.

What about Mr. Kirke? Jo wondered, but knew it would be impolite to ask.

The table was set with a sumptuous feast: a huge bowl with a salad with various greens and other vegetables, shrimp scampi, Tuscan herb garlic dipping oil, and crusts of bread for dipping.

"My cook is the best," said Sharon. "She cooks the most delicious meals."

"She makes good desserts too!" Kelli piped up. Jo found out how right she was when she tasted the tiramisu the maid served for dessert.

"So how's your mother?" Sharon asked as they were eating.

"She's fine,' said Jo. "She spends most of her time these days helping Meg with the twins."

Sharon's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Meg has twins?"

Jo smiled. "Oh yes! A boy and a girl. They're four months old now."

"So you're an aunt! Congratulations!"

"Thanks." Although Jo didn't spend much time with Johnny and Daisy, her heart held a tender spot for her niece and nephew.

"And how is Beth?" asked Sharon.

Jo sighed. "She's well." While that wasn't quite true, Jo didn't want to burden her mother's friend with her own worries.

"I'm glad to hear it," said Sharon.

The rest of the meal was a quiet affair. The mention of Beth's name had put a damper on the otherwise cheerful conversation. The irony was that, although one of the reasons Jo had come to New York had been to escape from her constant worry over her younger sister's health, the obsession had followed her like a shadow, lying in wait for the chance to burst upon the scene.

* * *

She saw him for the first time Sunday afternoon. It was cold but sunny, and shed' taken the girls to the park. He was leaning against a tree, watching two little boys at play - his sons, she assumed.

He was of medium height and stout, with unruly brown hair falling into his eyes. He had a neatly trimmed goatee. He wore beige corduroy slacks and well worn brown boat shoes with his parka. He was at least thirty-five, if not a year or two older.

"Hi, Professor!" called Kerri and Kelli as they ran to greet him.

"Ah, my darling Kerri and Kelli." He had a foreign accent. He took something from his pocket and handed them to each girl. Jo saw they were butter rum Lifesavers. "A beautiful day to come to the park, is it not?"

"Uh huh," said Kerri and Kelli, sucking on their candy.

At last he saw Jo, and smiled, showing perfect teeth.

"You must be new here. I have not seen you before."

His voice had a pleasant quality, like a melody, and his brown eyes twinkled merrily.

"I'm Jo March, Kelli and Kerri's new governess." She held out her hand, and he shook it, holding onto it a second or two longer than normal. She didn't mind at all.

"A lovely lady with a lovely smile," he said. "My name is Friedrich Bhaer, but you may call me Fritz. Everyone does."


	2. Holiday Cheer

Jo smiled. "It's nice to meet you."

"It is wonderful to meet you as well, Miss March." For some reason, she didn't mind at all when he called her that; instead of making her feel old, it made her feel special.

"Your sons are so cute!" she said as she watched the tousle-haired lads at play.

"They are my nephews, but thank you," said Fritz.

"How old are they?" asked Jo.

"Franz is six, and Emil is four," Fritz told her. "I wish their dear mother could see them. She would be so proud."

Jo was dying to ask what had happened to her but didn't want to seem rude.

"When did you come to New York?" she asked instead.

"About six months ago, right after Minna's accident," he replied. "And you, _meine Dame, _when did you arrive?"

_"What _did you call me?" To her, it had sounded just a little like 'minor dummy.'

He smiled. _"Meine Dame._ My lady."

"What language is that?"

"German. I am from Berlin. Minna wanted her sons to be raised and educated in the United States, and that is why I came. But you have yet to answer my question."

"Oh!" Jo chuckled. "I just got here yesterday. I'm staying with the Kirkes."

"They have a beautiful home," said Fritz. "I rent a room in the brownstone beside it, so we are next door neighbors."

Jo couldn't believe her ears. "You rent just one room for yourself and the boys?" She remembered how Kerri and Kelli had called him 'Professor.'

"To rent an entire brownstone would be far beyond the affordability of a mere tutor."

"But Kerri and Kelli called you 'Professor'!"

"I lack the credentials necessary to teach in an American university," Fritz explained.

"So you gave up your career just so your nephews could grow up in America?"

"To me, it was worth it."

Jo watched the children at play as she swallowed a lump in her throat. "You must have really loved her."

He looked into her eyes. "Is that so hard to understand?"

She shook her head. "Oh no, not at all." Her eyes filled with tears as she thought of Beth. He saw the tears, and such a look of tenderness came into his own eyes that she had to look away.

"It's getting late," she called to Kerri and Kelli. "We'd better head back. We don't want your mother to worry." She glanced back at Fritz. "I guess I'll be seeing you around."

"I hope so," he replied.

* * *

Her cell phone rang, and she saw that it was her mother.

"Hi, Mom," she said.

"Hello, darling," said Mrs. March. "How's the governess job going so far?"

"It's going great, Mom. Sharon's so nice, and the brownstone's really awesome! You wouldn't believe how big the kitchen is, and the cook - it's just like eating in an expensive restaurant every day!"

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself, dear."

Jo took a deep breath. "How's Beth?"

She heard her mother's heavy sigh. "About the same."

Although hesitant to ask, she had to know. "Has Teddy been by?"

"No." Good, thought Jo. Maybe he's finally accepted it and gone on with his life.

* * *

"He's quite a remarkable man," said Sharon. It was Sunday evening, and they were enjoying a dinner of salad and lasagna. "Always smiles and has a friendly word for everyone, and he adores kids, although he has none of his own. He's devoted to those nephews of his. I honestly don't know how he makes it. All their clothes come from the Salvation Army or Goodwill."

"He told me he'd been a professor in Berlin."

"Not just any professor," said Sharon. "He was the head of the language department at Humboldt for many years."

"And he gave all that up for those two little boys."

"He's the only family they have," Sharon explained. "He couldn't bear the thought of their going into foster homes and possibly being abused."

"What happened to their parents?"

Sharon sighed. "It was such a tragedy. They were on the freeway, and it was raining hard. Jake lost control of the car, and it plunged over a guardrail and down a steep embankment into a river. He and Minna drowned."

Jo gasped. "What a horrible way to die! Where were the boys when it happened?"

"Visiting with friends. Jake and Minna were on the way to pick them up."

"Poor little boys!"

"I know. Like I said, what a tragedy."

We should have them over for Thanksgiving dinner, Jo thought to herself, although she realized it wasn't her place to suggest that.

Over the next couple of weeks, Jo and Fritz saw each other on an almost daily basis. He always greeted her the same way. _"Guten tag, _Miss March."

Thanksgiving at the Kirkes was just as much a lavish feast as Jo had known it would be - large mounds of turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, salad, rolls, yams, cranberries, and assorted pies. Jo waited until the family had finished eating, then retrieved three paper plates from a cabinet. She piled generous helpings of turkey, mashed potatoes, and various other treats onto each plate, then covered them with aluminum foil, put them in a bag, and made her way to the brownstone next door.

She rang the bell, and when the owner appeared, asked to be directed to Fritz's room. She knocked on the door, and moments later, Fritz appeared, wearing an apron.

"Miss March! What a surprise!" he said. ""Please, come in!"

Jo was taken aback by the topsy-turvy condition of the room. Every available surface was covered with clothing, books, and toys, and toys also covered the floor. Franz and Emil sat at a small table, eating bologna sandwiches.

"We had lots of leftovers from dinner, and instead of tossing them out, I wanted to share them with you," Jo announced as she removed the plates from the bag. She took the aluminum foil off them, and the delicious aroma wafted up.

"I - I do not know what to say," Fritz stammered as the boys reached for the plates with eager hands.

Jo nodded toward the remaining plate. "Aren't you going to eat yours?"

Fritz clasped her hand in both his own. _"Danke schon. _Thank you so much. You are an angel."


	3. Meeting The Reverend

Jo opened her eyes to find herself in completely unfamiliar surroundings. The walls of the room were painted blue, and the ceiling was white. Printed curtains, which matched the bed's quilt, hung at the window.

Curious, she looked down to see that she was wearing a light blue gown. She slipped her feet into matching fluffy light blue slippers and stepped out into the hallway.

She seemed to be in a large house, larger than her parents', about the size of the Kirke's. Yet something about it was different. It seemed older somehow, as if from a previous era.

Delicious smells led her to the kitchen, where she saw a plump, matronly woman of about sixty. She had short, curly white hair that was neatly styled. She was standing at an old fashioned stove, making pancakes. She glanced up as Jo entered the room.

"Ah, Magda! We were wondering when you were going to join us. You can take your usual place at the table. Horst will turn thanks."

At the table sat a pale, thin teenage boy with light brown hair and spectacles. Beside him sat a plump teenage girl with darker hair that was in braids.

The boy bowed his head and began to pray. "Dear Lord, Bless this food of which we are about to partake, and thank you for your many blessings. Amen."

On the table sat platters of sausage and pancakes. The teenagers began to pile them onto the plates sitting before them, and after a moment's hesitation, Jo timidly reached for a sausage with her fork.

"What's wrong, Magda?" The girl gave a friendly chuckle. "It isn't going to bite you!"

My name is Magda, Jo thought in wonder. The boy's name is Horst. What's the girl's name? Are they my brother and sister? Is the older lady my grandmother?

She noticed that the clothing of the others looked as old fashioned as the house's furnishings did. She'd seen pictures of similar outfits in advertisements for vintage-era shops, but she'd never seen such clothing actually worn.

"Better hurry up and finish eating," said Horst. "We're going to Spandau to hear Reverend Baumgartner preach this morning."

"Who?" asked Jo.

"Reverend Baumgartner," the girl told her. "We've been going to his church for a year now. You'll like him. We all do, especially Granny."

Jo looked at Granny, and Granny smiled at her.

After breakfast, Jo helped the others clean up and then went back to her bedroom to get dressed. The other girl was already there, looking through the closet.

"Why don't you wear your lavender dress that's made just like my sea green one," she suggested. "That way, we'll match!"

Jo found the lavender dress and took it from the closet. As it had no tags inside, it seemed to be homemade and of 100 percent cotton - typical for this time period, whatever it is, she supposed. She went to the mirror and gazed into it at her own face. She saw that she looked much as she had ten years or so before.

So am I ten years younger now? she wondered.

She donned the dress, added pantyhose and black flats, and then set out with Granny and the others for Spandau. As they walked along, she marveled at the passing scenery - parks, half-timbered houses, charming little cafes. She felt like she'd stepped right into a fairy tale. Unused to walking such distances, her legs and feet began to ache, but she was so fascinated by the scenery that she barely even noticed.

At last they arrived at the chapel, which was painted white and had a high sloping roof and tall steeple. A tree grew on each side of it. When they entered the building, Jo saw that the walls were also painted white. The wooden beams of the roof came together to make a triangular, upward-sloping ceiling, and long, plain wooden benches lined each side.

The only other occupants were a young couple with several children, an elderly couple, and a middle-aged man who sat alone. Granny led Jo and the others to a seat about halfway back on the left. Gradually, more people began to arrive, until there were perhaps twenty or thirty in all.

At last, Reverend Baumgartner entered and stepped up to the podium. He was of average size, with short blond hair combed over the top of his head and spectacles behind which his intense blue eyes gazed. He wore a gray tweed suit with a white shirt and black tie.

Although she'd never seen him before in her life, Jo was sure she already knew him.

"Greetings, beloved, in the name of the Lord," he said. "I'm pleased to see you all again, and I rejoice that there are several new faces here."

He caught Jo's eye and gave a fleeting smile, and it warmed her heart so much that, for the first time, she felt completely comfortable in her new surroundings.

"My text this morning is from Acts 5:27-32," he began. "Peter and John have been arrested for preaching the gospel. They are released, but arrested again soon afterwards. When asked why he refuses to obey the authorities, Peter responds that as Christians, we are to obey God rather than man. A similar situation has arisen today. Our nation's leaders are demanding that we violate the Bible's principles by turning against our Jewish brothers and sisters."

_Oh dear God, I've gone back in time to Nazi Germany! _Shocked, Jo almost fell from her seat.

Suddenly, she was desperate to know the exact date. She wracked her brain trying to remember whether she'd seen a calendar in the kitchen of the house she'd awakened in.

She listened to the rest of the sermon with rapt attention. The minister talked of love and compassion, one's duty to one's fellow man, staying true to one's values and beliefs even in the face of persecution.

Jo glanced nervously behind her every few minutes, expecting soldiers to burst in any second. She sighed with relief when Reverend Baumgartner began the closing prayer.

As the congregation filed out, the minister stood at the door, shaking hands with each person as they left. When it was Granny's turn, he took her hand in both his own, just as Fritz had done with Jo.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Klein," he said.

"Good afternoon, Reverend," Granny replied. "You know my grandchildren, Horst and Renate Weber, and this is their younger sister, Magda."

"How do you do." As he clasped her hand and gazed into her eyes, Jo knew that right here at this time was where she was supposed to be.


	4. School

"I'm fine, thanks." Somehow, Jo had found her voice.

Reverend Baumgartner smiled. Jo noticed that his teeth were perfect. "Glad to hear it."

"You are still coming over for dinner, aren't you?" asked Granny.

"It would be my pleasure."

The walk back to Granny's didn't seem to take nearly as long as the walk to the chapel had. Reverend Baumgartner walked between Granny and Horst. Renate walked at Horst's other side, and Jo walked at Granny's.

As they walked along, Horst and Renate asked the minister many questions, about his sermon as well as other topics.

"Do you think there will be a war?" asked Renate. "If there is, Papa might have to join the army."

"There may well be a war, and if there is, your father might have to fight," the minister replied. "I know he is a good man. God sees his heart, and as such, His mercy will prevail."

Renate looked very relieved.

"You seem very quiet today, Magda," Reverend Baumgartner observed. "Why don't you share with us what's on your mind?"

I can tell you what will happen, Jo wanted to say. There will be a war, and Germany will lose.

She knew she couldn't really say that, as the others would all think she was crazy.

"Whatever God wants is what will happen," she said instead.

"You're right," said Reverend Baumgartner. "God is in control, and His will shall prevail, but that doesn't mean a lot of good people won't have to suffer and die before it's all over." A shadow fell across his face.

Knowing the truth of his words, Jo had to swallow a lump in her throat.

"Today is such a beautiful day." She heard the forced cheerfulness in his voice. "The sun is shining, and the birds are singing. Perhaps we could play badminton after lunch."

By this time they'd reached the house, which was two stories high and boasted a small circular porch and an attic with windows and shutters.

Granny had prepared a delicious lunch - pot roast with carrots, cabbage, and onions, boiled potatoes, sourdough bread, and black forest cake for dessert. Jo ate until she couldn't hold another bite.

After lunch, they played a three-game match with Reverend Baumgartner and Horst on one side and Renate and Jo on the other. The minister and Horst won two games, and Renate and Jo won the other. Granny watched and kept score.

Later, Reverend Baumgartner called Horst and Renate to sit in the parlor with him.

"You must be prepared to answer many questions before you can be confirmed," he told them.

"What about me?" asked Jo, suddenly anxious.

The minister sighed. "I've discussed this with your grandmother. Confirmation is a serious undertaking, and you're still a bit young. You've only just started your catechism classes. You need a lot more instruction in the faith before you'll be ready."

Swallowing her disappointment, Jo listened as he went over the confirmation questions with Horst and Renate. She found that, to her surprise, she was keenly interested in the subject matter. Although her parents had never been particularly religious, they'd always encouraged Jo and her sisters to be open minded about spiritual matters.

The minister didn't say anything more to her, but he did smile and give her an encouraging pat on the shoulder before he left. She felt a little sad to see him go.

* * *

The following morning, Jo opened her eyes to find herself in the same bedroom she'd gone to sleep in the previous night. So is this to be my life from now on? she wondered. Will I ever see my parents or sisters again?

She fought her rising panic as she joined Horst and Renate in the kitchen for the second morning. She slid into her seat and began to eat her oatmeal.

"So, what did you think of Reverend Baumgartner?" Renate asked her as they were eating.

"He sure knows a lot about the Bible!" Jo wondered what denomination he was. He'd mentioned catechism classes and confirmation, yet he was a minister, not a priest.

Renate nodded her agreement. "He's one of the smartest men I've ever met, and he isn't even that old."

"How old is he?" Jo was suddenly curious.

"Granny says hardly older than thirty," Horst told her.

I don't even know how old _I _am, Jo thought to herself.

Soon breakfast was over, and it was time to walk to school. Granny kissed each of her grandchildren on the cheek as they left the house. Approaching the quaint two-story building, Jo wondered what grade and classroom she was in. She didn't have to wonder for long, as a pretty, fair-haired girl grinned as she waved to her.

"Hey, Magda!"

"Hi," Jo said as they two girls fell into step together.

"Did you finish the math assignment on Friday?" asked Jo's companion. "Those questions were _hard! _But I'll bet they were easy for you, smart as you are."

Me? Smart in math? Jo asked herself.

As the girls came near the classroom, Jo saw the teacher standing beside the door. She was tall, with blonde hair pulled back into a severe bun. Her cold blue eyes sent a shiver down Jo's spine.

The teacher gave a Nazi salute. "Heil Hitler."

"Heil Hitler." Jo's companion returned the salute without a moment's hesitation, and a split second later, Jo did the same, feeling sick to her stomach. She was terrified of what would happen to her otherwise.

The teacher's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Is something wrong, Miss Weber?"

"Magda was up late studying last night," said Jo's companion. "She's still really sleepy."

How she made it through that day, Jo had no idea, but that night, she lay in bed sobbing her heart out, not even caring if Renate heard her.


	5. German Lessons

Jo opened her eyes and was vastly relieved to find that she was once again in her bedroom at the Kirke's. For the two days she'd lived as Magda in another place and at another time, she could think of no explanation. Her only thought was of how glad she was to be back in the time, place, and body to which she was accustomed.

But how much time passed while I was gone? she wondered. The last time she'd gone to sleep in twenty-first century New York City, it had been Thanksgiving night. After visiting with Fritz and his nephews far longer than she'd intended, she'd returned to get Kerri and Kelli ready for bed, then sat up reading for awhile herself.

The book she was reading was 'Realizing Rawls' by Thomas Pogge. Fritz had loaned it to her, promising her she'd enjoy it. Had reading the book somehow led to her bizarre experience? she wondered.

She rose from bed and walked into the kitchen, where she found the cook busy at work while Sharon and her daughters sat at the table, chatting happily. Sharon looked up as she entered the room.

"Good morning, Jo. Happy Black Friday!"

So no time at all had passed in her life as Josephine March, Jo noted with relief.

"Good morning, and happy Black Friday to you, too," she said. "So is shopping the plan for the day?"

Sharon laughed. "At the mall? Oh, no! I wouldn't even think of facing those crowds. I do most of my shopping online. I thought I'd get started this morning while you keep the girls entertained. They like to do arts and crafts, and there's a ton of supplies in the craft room. Why don't you go ahead and get them started after breakfast?"

"Sounds like fun!" said Jo. She spent the morning doing papier-mache projects, working with clay, and finger painting with the girls. She found it all to be highly enjoyable.

In the afternoon, she read more of the novel while Kerri and Kelli napped, then spent the rest of the day playing games with them on the computer.

Saturday was cold but sunny, so Jo bundled the girls up and took them to the park again. They'd been there for about half an hour when Fritz and his nephews arrived. Jo was watching her charges on the slides to make sure they didn't get hurt, so she didn't even know they were there until she heard Fritz call to her.

"Miss March! How good it is to see you again!"

"Hi, great to see you again, too!" Jo replied. "Hi, Franz and Emil!"

"Hi," the boys replied dutifully before running off to play.

Looking into his hazel eyes, Jo felt certain Fritz was somehow connected to her recent experience. Although he and Reverend Baumgartner didn't resemble each other physically, she sensed a sameness about them, a familiarity which was impossible to explain.

"Are you enjoying the book?" he asked.

"Very much so," Jo replied.

They watched the children play for a few minutes.

"I am wondering, Miss March, if you would be interested in learning German," Fritz said after a few minutes.

"I'd like that very much, but I can't afford to pay for lessons right now," Jo told him.

"Oh, no, I am offering to teach you for free," Fritz replied. "It is the least I can do after the kindness you showed us at Thanksgiving."

"Oh, that was just a little thing!" said Jo.

"To us, it was not little at all," Fritz replied. "I am a man who repays kindness with kindness, whenever possible."

"Well then, in that case, I could come over after lunch, while Kerri and Kelli are napping," said Jo.

"It is settled, then."

It occurred to Jo that, as Magda, she had both thought and spoken in fluent German, as if it were the only language she'd ever known, which was undoubtedly the case. It was so natural that she didn't even realize it at first, and yet when she'd awakened as Jo, it had all been immediately and completely erased from her mind.

* * *

German lessons commenced the following Monday. Jo found the language far more difficult to learn than she'd expected it to be - so many different words for 'the', 'an', and 'a'!

"I just can't stop getting them confused!" she complained.

"Patience, my dear Josephine," Fritz chuckled. "You will get it right, eventually."

"I'll bet it just comes naturally to you, doesn't it?" she teased.

He laughed.

"How old were you when you learned English?" she wanted to know.

"I was very young," he replied. "In European countries, it is the common thing to learn English at an early age."

* * *

Jo strolled up and down the mall, searching for Christmas presents for her family and friends. Her list was considerably longer this year, but her financial situation had improved slightly with the governess job.

In the bath and body shop, she chose nice things for her mother, Meg, Beth, and Sharon. Her father was always more of a challenge to shop for, and as for John, she had no idea what he'd like. She found a couple of books in the bookstore for them.

After visiting the toy store for presents for the Kirke girls and the twins, she considered her shopping complete, and yet...what about him? Should she buy something for him too? How likely was it he'd get _her _a present?

Perhaps she should buy him something small, just in case he did. She hastily purchased a pen holder and a vase from the discount store before leaving the mall.

* * *

The afternoon of Christmas Eve, a light snow began to fall. Kerri and Kelli clapped with glee and went to look out the window at the falling snowflakes. Later, the doorbell rang, and Jo went to answer it. She was surprised to see Fritz standing there with his nephews, snow clinging to his mustache like a light sprinkling of sugar on a cookie.

"We are going caroling, and we wondered if we might have the pleasure of your company," he said.

"Sounds great to me!" Jo replied. "I'll see if the girls want to come along."

Kerri and Kelli were all for it, and Sharon said they could go as long as they were dressed warmly enough. Jo saw that they were carefully bundled into coats, mittens, and galoshes, and then they joyfully went on their way.


	6. The Party Invitation

Caroling was so much fun that Jo lost all track of time, and before she realized it, it was past Kerri and Kelli's bedtime.

"We need to get back!" she whispered, glancing at her watch. Fritz looked at his own watch.

"Indeed, we do." Little Emil yawned, and his uncle chuckled. They walked back to where the two houses were.

"Goodnight!" Fritz waved a jovial hand to her as they parted.

"Bye." She waved back, surprised to find she felt a little sad. I'll probably see them again tomorrow, she told herself.

To her relief, Sharon wasn't upset about how late they were.

"It's only Christmas Eve once a year," she said, and Jo smiled gratefully.

Predictably, the girls were the first ones up the following morning. Jo went the the living room to find them busily tearing wrapping paper off boxes. Sharon sat on the sofa, watching them. She smiled when she saw Jo.

"Good morning! Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas!" Jo replied, sitting down beside her.

"Look what I got!" Kelli ran to show her a doll.

"That's very pretty," Jo replied. "Are you ready for your presents from me?"

"Oh, yes!" both girls cried together.

Jo fetched the presents she'd bought for Sharon and the girls and passed them around.

"I know it isn't much," she said apologetically.

"It's very nice." Sharon's eyes lit up as she opened the boxed robe and slippers set. "Thank you!"

"Thanks, Miss Jo!" Kerri and Kelli echoed as they opened the toys Jo had bought them.

From the Kirkes, Jo received a beautiful hand knitted sweater and hat.

"I love it!" she told them. "Thank you very much!"

Christmas dinner was everything Jo had known it would be - ham, salad, vegetables, soup, several different types if bread, two pies, and a platter of cookies. Jo ate until she could hold no more, at the same time, wondering what Fritz and his nephews were eating. Likely bologna sandwiches again, she concluded dismally.

She wouldn't hurt his pride by taking food to him again, and yet, she wondered.

"You look deep in thought," Sharon remarked.

"I was just wondering how Fritz and his nephews are faring," Jo admitted. "I hope they have enough to eat."

"Were you thinking of taking food over there again?" asked Sharon.

Jo gasped. So Sharon knew what she'd done.

The older woman chuckled. "I noticed some things were missing and concluded you must have done that. It's fine, but it would have been nice to have asked me first."

"I'm sorry." Jo felt her cheeks burning hot as an oven.

"I'm not upset at you, Jo. I know what a compassionate heart you have and how much that man and those boys have come to mean to you."

Jo was startled. Had they, and was it that obvious?

* * *

As it turned out, she'd been right in supposing she'd see Fritz and his nephews before the day ended, for sure enough, at twilight, he rang the doorbell and was admitted smiling and cheerful as always into the living room. His arms were full of packages.

"Oh, you _shouldn't _have, Professor!" said a wide-eyed Sharon. "It's so cold out there - your toes will freeze!"

Fritz laughed. "Please do not worry about my toes, Mrs. Kirke. They will be fine. Spreading Christmas cheer is so much more important to me!"

"Well, come on in!"

He'd brought something for each of them: a mug for Sharon, toys for the girls, and for Jo, there was a beautiful vintage brooch. It was a red glass cabochon surrounded by white seed pearls. From it, a red teardrop glass was suspended.

"It was my mother's, and my grandmother's before that," Fritz explained.

"It's beautiful!" Jo held it, admiring it from different angles. "But I can't accept this. It's a family heirloom."

"Please, Jo. I want you to have it, so that when your assignment here is over and you return home, you will have something to remember old Fritz by."

"Oh, thank you!" Jo held him tight, relishing the scent of his cologne.

* * *

The new year came and went. January was cold and rainy. Kerri and Kelli attended a private school in the mornings, and Jo spent that time running errands, catching up on her reading, or surfing the internet. She kept in constant touch with her family through email and text messaging.

One day she stood in the produce section of the supermarket with a grapefruit in each hand.

"That one looks juiciest."

She turned to see who had spoken and found herself gazing into the most gorgeous blue eyes she'd ever seen. The young man looked to be about twenty five and had flaxen blond hair that came to just below his ears.

"I'll get it, then," she said with a smile.

"I'm Brad. What's your name?"

"Jo." She got a sudden strong urge to walk away, but Brad had positioned himself between her and the nearest check out lane, and besides, she was having a hard time tearing herself away from those blue eyes of his.

"So, do you come here often?" he asked.

"Only when I need to shop for food."

He chuckled. "So, Jo, why don't you tell me a little about yourself."

"Not much to tell. I live in Concord with my parents and younger sister. Right now I'm working as a governess for my mother's friend."

"Cool. I work in a warehouse myself. I'm going to a party at a friend's house on Friday night. Want to come along?"

"What kind of party?"

"No special occasion. Just a regular party with music, dancing, and drinks. My friend lives in Greenwich Village. Shall I pick you up at seven?"

Jo hadn't been to a party in so long she couldn't even remember the last one. And life had been so boring lately - the weather damp and gloomy, the monotonous sameness of her daily routine frustrating. What would be the harm in having a little fun for a change, just for one night?

"All right." She gave him directions to Sharon's house.


	7. The Accident

She was having second thoughts as soon as she left the store. What about Fritz? He'd given her a beautiful brooch for Christmas; not only was it lovely, but it was also a family heirloom. What would he think if he knew she'd just accepted a date from a random stranger she'd met in a supermarket?

Yet the fact that he'd given her a sentimental gift didn't imply she 'owed' him anything, did it? After all, they were only platonic friends!

But would a man give a gift like that to a woman he only considered a friend? Certainly, Fritz had never said anything to her that could be interpreted as being romantic, but that didn't mean he wasn't attracted to her, did it?

The more important question was, how did she feel about him? The age difference was certainly a factor - that, and he had neither a car nor a babysitter for his nephews, so they couldn't go out on dates unless they brought the boys along.

However she tried to rationalize it away, she couldn't help feeling just a little guilty for accepting Brad's invitation.

On the night of the party, she put on her sexy black dress with matching heels and wore her favorite perfume, Tatiana. She watched for Brad's car through the front window and dashed outside when she saw him pull up. He whistled as she got in beside him.

"Wow, Jo, you look really hot!"

"Thanks. You look great, too." He wore black jeans with a gray sweater.

Jo enjoyed seeing more of the city through the car window than she had since her arrival. As it turned out, Brad's friend lived in a large two-story brick house with three windows on top and two beside the door on the bottom. Brad's friend met them at the door and let them in. He had longish dark brown hair and wore a New York Jets sweatshirt.

"This is Jo," Brad told him.

"Hey! I'm Dennis. Come on in."

The living room was darkly lit and had several long sofas, one against each wall. The Arctic Monkeys were playing full blast. Several people, three men and two women, were eating finger food and drinking beer or wine.

"Hi! I'm April," said one of the women.

"I'm Jo," said Jo.

"Want a Coors?" asked April.

"No thanks." Jo went into the kitchen to see what other drinks were available. She found a Seagram's Fuzzy Navel and took it back into the living room. More people arrived, and the party got livelier. Jo chatted some with April and a few others. She finished her Fuzzy Navel and had a couple more. She began to feel light headed and euphoric and was soon deep in conversation with a young man whose name she hadn't quite caught. She noticed people were pairing up and moving into other rooms in the house. The young man to whom she was talking took her hand and tried to get her to go upstairs with him. She refused.

What in the world am I doing here? she wondered as she watched Brad guzzle beer after beer. This isn't really my kind of thing at all.

Once again, Fritz's face flashed before her in her mind. What would he think of her if he knew where she was and what she was doing?

Eventually, the party wound down and people started to leave. Brad suddenly seemed to remember she was there.

"Ready to go, babe?"

I've been ready to go for ages, she thought to herself.

"Are you sure you're OK to drive?" she asked, remembering all the beers she'd seen him drink.

"Oh, I'm fine. I only had a few."

Jo was so glad to get away from the scene she decided it would be best to just not argue about it, and besides, she didn't have any other way home. She stepped out into the chilly night air with him.

As soon as they were on the road, she knew she'd made a mistake. Brad ran stop signs and zipped around corners as if he were steering a bumper car at the fair. She saw Brad pull into another car's path and didn't even have time to scream before she heard the crash.

* * *

Pain. Like she'd never felt before, worse than she ever could have imagined. Vaguely, she was aware of voices, of her body being lifted and placed onto a soft surface, but the pain was so overwhelming nothing else registered in her brain. Sirens wailed in the background; she felt herself being rolled over the ground and through a door.

Someone was beside her, talking to her, asking her questions.

"it hurts..." she gasped, and began to sob.

A pin prick in the arm was soon followed by a pleasant wooziness; then she was wrapped in the warm cocoon of sleep...

* * *

She awakened to find herself lying on her back in a white room. One whiff of the air told her she was in a hospital. An IV in her arm was attached to a bag on a pole beside her head.

What happened? Memories returned to her in bits and pieces...the party...leaving with Brad...

A nurse entered the room and smiled at her. "How do you feel?"

"My side and my head both hurt a little. What happened?"

"The car you were riding in was broadsided. You have three cracked ribs and a nasty head wound. No brain damage, thank goodness. We need to keep you overnight for observation, though."

Damn. I knew I never should have gone to that party - now look what's happened!

Sharon came to visit after lunch.

"I'm so sorry I couldn't get here earlier," she said. "I had a little trouble finding a sitter for the girls. How are you doing?"

"I'm really sore on my right side," Jo told her. "Every time I take a breath, it hurts. They told me it would be like that for awhile. How are the girls?"

"They're fine. I told them you were in an accident and got banged up a little but that you'd be fine soon."

Jo swallowed and stared at the ceiling. "Does Fritz know what happened?"


	8. The Land Of Smiles

"Yes. He's the one watching the girls. I hated to impose, since he's already busy with the boys, but he said he'd be happy to do it."

Jo pictured his kind eyes and felt ashamed. "Does he know how it happened?"

"I didn't tell him any of the details. He sends his best wishes for a speedy recovery."

Jo sighed, relieved. "I knew it was a mistake. I shouldn't have gone anywhere with that guy when I don't really know him."

"You're lucky. It could have been much worse."

"I know. I feel bad about it, though."

"Why?"

"I guess because Fritz has been so nice to me, and I can't help thinking he'd disapprove."

"His opinion matters that much to you."

"Well, yes, it does." Jo looked into Sharon's eyes. "I respect him a lot. He's a great guy."

Sharon smiled and patted Jo's arm. "I'm sure he thinks highly of you as well."

Jo spent the rest of the day watching television. She couldn't get Fritz out of her mind. She'd never felt for a man before as she did for him. For Teddy, there had always been a sisterly affection, but he'd never occupied her mind as Fritz now did. What did it mean?

She had the strangest dream that night. Reverend Baumgartner was giving a sermon, but he had Fritz's face. When she awakened, she lay there a long time, wondering what the connection between the two men was. They lived in two completely different time periods, seventy years apart. And why had she been sent back into the life of Magda? Would it ever happen again?

She dozed off once again, still contemplating the puzzling recent events in her life.

The next day she was released and returned to the brownstone with the bandage on her head as a reminder of her ordeal. Kerri and Kelli were glad to see her and regaled her with stories of what had been going on in her absence. They were curious about her bandage and kept touching it, and she had to remind them to be gentle.

Sore from her broken ribs, Jo spent the majority of that week resting, and on Saturday, Sharon said she was taking the girls and Franz and Emil to the children's museum.

"Its the least I could do after the emergency babysitting Fritz did for me last weekend," she told Jo.

"That was all my fault," said Jo. "I'm sorry."

"It wasn't your fault," Sharon replied, helping Kelli on with her coat. "You had no way of knowing what would happen."

After Sharon and the girls had left, Jo settled in for a long, quiet afternoon of Netflix. About thirty minutes later, she heard the doorbell ring. Slowly making her way to the door, she looked through the peephole to see Fritz standing there, holding a square, flat object. She opened the door and stepped aside so he could enter.

"Josephine, you are hurt!" The anxious tone in his voice touched her.

"I'm all right," she said bravely. "Just a little sore, that's all."

"I hope you are getting plenty of rest."

"That's about all I've been doing. How have you been?"

"I have been all right, but missing my Josephine, and worrying about her injuries."

Jo sighed. "I'm sorry. I should have emailed or texted - "

"Oh no, that is quite all right. I have here an operetta called _Das Land des Lachelns - _The Land of Smiles. It is one of my favorites, and I would like to share it with you."

He showed Jo the DVD he was holding; on the cover was a picture of a smiling man with wavy brown hair embracing a brunette. Jo didn't have the heart to tell her friend she didn't care for operas and operettas.

"Shall we watch it?" Fritz inserted the DVD into the player, paying no mind to the zombie movie Jo had been watching. _But it was up to the best part! _her brain protested.

"Would you like something to drink?" she asked.

"Just some water, _bitte."_

Jo brought glasses of water for both of them. Fritz sat at one end of the sofa, and Jo sat woodenly beside him. As the opera began, she was surprised to find herself enchanted by the music. It was in German, but with English subtitles.

She became so engrossed in the performance she barely noticed when Fritz's arm slipped around her and pulled her closer. She rested her head on his shoulder and soon began to feel pleasantly drowsy.

The operetta seemed to end entirely too soon.

"Is it over already?" She lifted her head from his shoulder.

Fritz smiled. "Unfortunately, yes. But it was good, was it not?"

"That's actually the first time I've ever enjoyed anything like this," Jo confessed.

Fritz didn't look a bit surprised. "It is always good to broaden your horizons."

"Well, what do you want to do now?"

"We can watch something of your choosing, if you want."

"Well, what kind of movies do you like?"

Fritz chuckled. "Anything you want to watch is fine with me. I am merely here for the pleasure of your company."

At a loss, Jo wasn't sure how to respond.

"Um, you don't by any chance like zombie movies, do you?"

"The living dead? No thank you, I will pass on that one."

"Well, how about..." Jo started scrolling through the choices.

"I'm a fan of Carice van Houten, if you have anything with her," Fritz suggested.

Jo found 'From Time To Time', and they watched it, Fritz's arm around Jo as her head rested on his shoulder. It was a position which seemed very natural to them both.

The credits were rolling when Sharon returned with the children. As Fritz rose eagerly to greet them, Jo felt as if some magic spell had just been broken.

* * *

The spring passed quickly. With a wink of her eye, Sharon arranged several more occasions for Fritz and Jo to be alone together for several hours at a time. They went on walking tours of the city, visiting museums, parks, the library, quaint little shops, and cozy cafes. Fritz told Jo of his boyhood in Berlin, of his parents and other relatives, of the beautiful gardens and zoos. His eyes grew misty when he spoke of Minna.

Jo told him about growing up in Concord, about what it was like to be the middle sister, of her army chaplain father. She didn't mention Teddy, as she saw no reason to. With great difficulty, she told him of Beth's troubles, how the illness had weakened her heart and, without a transplant, she wouldn't live much longer.

He turned sympathetic eyes to her as he clasped her hand in both his own.

"It brings me much sadness to hear of your sister's plight. I know the pain of losing a beloved sister and wish for you to be spared such grief."

"I keep hoping she'll get a new heart soon, but at the same time, I feel so guilty!"

"And why is that?"

"Can't you see? For her to live, someone else has to die!"

Fritz shook his head. "My dearest friend, you are not seeing the situation in the proper perspective. The gift of life is bestowed upon the recipient in a final expression of love, in that a part of the donor will live on in the body of the beneficiary. It can be seen as a form of immortality."

"I never looked at it quite like that before," said Jo. "How did you ever get to be so smart?"

Fritz's eyes twinkled. "The school of life."

* * *

On the day her assignment ended, Jo said goodbye to Sharon and the girls, then went next door to bid Fritz and his nephews farewell.

"I hope you'll come visit us sometime," she told him.

"Of course I will, if I have the opportunity."

"Well - thanks for everything." That seemed inadequate, but it was all she could think of to say.

Fritz smiled. "It is I who should be thanking you. You have brought much sunshine and joy into the life of a lonely old man."

She giggled. "You're not _that _old!"

"It is true, but the days of carefree youth are far behind me."

"That doesn't matter. Age is no barrier to true friendship."

"You do not know what happiness it gives me to hear you say that."

They hugged, and he kissed her cheek. As the taxi whisked her toward the railway station, she waved to him out the window until she couldn't see him anymore.

She didn't hear him singing _"Dein ist Mein Ganzes Herz' _softly to himself as he turned to go into the house.


	9. Beth's Heart Transplant

Jo had been home for less than a week when her mother received the telephone call she'd been waiting for.

"A donor heart has been found for you," she told her youngest daughter excitedly. "We must leave for the hospital right away."

For the first time since Jo's return, Beth's eyes lit up. "Oh, Jo, I'm to have a new heart!"

"I'm so glad!" Jo helped her weak sister out of bed. She helped her get dressed and brushed her long, golden brown hair for her.

Mrs. March was in overdrive, scurrying around to make sure everything was packed and ready and nothing would be left behind. Just before leaving the house, she called her husband.

"Your father will meet us at the hospital as soon as he can get away," she told her daughters. She and Jo helped Beth to the car.

When they pulled into the hospital parking lot, a couple of transport orderlies met them with a gurney. Jo and her mother helped Beth onto it, and Jo held her sister's hand as she was trundled into the hospital.

Jo could see the fear in her Beth's big blue eyes.

"You're gonna be fine," she said, swallowing the lump in her throat. "In just a few hours, you'll have your new heart, and when you wake up, you'll be as good as new!"

She knew Beth's recovery would be long and arduous, but she wanted to sound as encouraging as possible.

Once inside the building, Jo and her mother watched as Beth was wheeled through the big double doors leading to the surgical center. The surgeon, Dr. Grimmer, came to talk with them several minutes later.

"First I'll give her a quick examination, just to make sure she's healthy enough to endure the procedure," he explained. "The surgery itself will take about four hours. She'll have to stay in the ICU for several days afterwards, and if all goes well, she'll then be moved to a regular hospital room, where she'll stay for a couple of weeks before being released to go home. Do you have any questions for me?"

"Where's her new heart right now?" asked Jo.

"It was brought into the operating room just a few minutes ago," Dr. Grimmer told her. "It's being kept oxygenated and nourished by tubes of circulating blood."

"It's amazing that they can do that!" said Mrs. March.

Dr. Grimmer smiled. "Yes, it is."

Jo and their mother settled in for their long wait. Mrs. March called Meg and told her what was going on. Jo sat staring at her phone, wondering whether or not she should call Fritz. She didn't want to disturb him if he was busy, but she longed to hear his voice.

As the wait dragged on, she found herself imagining worst case scenarios. What if the new heart wouldn't start beating once it was in her sister's chest? What if the operation was initially a success but Beth's body rejected the heart?

Jo had never been so glad to see her father when he finally arrived.

"How is she?" he asked his wife.

"We haven't heard anything yet," Mrs. March replied. "She was in good spirits when we got here."

Mr. March nodded. "She's a brave girl." He looked at his middle daughter. "And how have you been, Jo?"

"Aside from worrying about Beth, I've been all right."

He smiled. "And what of the young man you met in New York?"

He's not _that _young, thought Jo. "Fritz? We keep in touch."

"And what about Teddy? Has he been by?"

Jo stared at the floor.

"He's been by several times, but Jo refuses to see him," said Mrs. March.

"I have nothing more to say to him," said Jo. "I've already said it all."

Mr. March nodded. Jo hoped he wasn't disappointed in her. She knew he thought Teddy was a good catch - wealthy, charming, and handsome. Her father probably didn't understand why Jo didn't jump at the chance of a future with him.

Jo looked at her mother, knowing that she, at least, understood.

She'd never shared her experience living as Magda Weber in Nazi-era Germany with either of her parents. The experience had been so bizarre she simply hadn't known how to put it into words, and as time passed, she'd began to wonder if she'd actually dreamed the whole thing.

Jo's heart quickened when, what seemed like many hours later, Dr. Grimmer re-appeared, looking exhausted and a bit disheveled.

"Everything went as expected," he told Jo and her parents. "She's resting in recovery. She'll be taken back to ICU in a little while. You can go back and see her then, two at a time."

Jo breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't think she'd realized how scared she'd been Beth might die in surgery, and now that the worst was over, she knew she couldn't imagine life without her beloved sister.

Of course she agreed to her parents going back to see Beth first, and while waiting for her turn, she sent a text message to Fritz.

"Surgery over. Beth survived."

When she was finally able to see Beth, she was shocked and dismayed at her sister's appearance. She was connected to a ventilator, and tubes were in her chest. An IV was in her arm.

Beth's eyes were open, ever so slightly. Jo squeezed her cold hand.

"Bethy? It's me, Jo. I'm here now."

The eyes opened wider and focused on Jo's face.

"You're gonna be just fine, Beth. Soon you'll be able to come home, and it'll be just like old times again, before you got sick. You'll see!"

Jo couldn't be sure, but she thought she saw a smile in Beth's eyes.

* * *

Later, at home, she checked her phone and found a text message from Fritz.

"I pray God's hand over her for complete healing."

Only Fritz would send a text like that, Jo though with a smirk, but at the same time, she found it endearing.


	10. A Surprise Visitor

Later, she received a telephone call and was disappointed to see it was from Teddy rather than Fritz.

"I know you don't want to talk to me," he said. "I just called to find out how Beth's surgery went."

"It went well," Jo told him. "And it's not that I don't want to talk to you. It's just that you have to accept the fact that we'll never be more than friends."

"Well, I won't go into that again. You know how I feel, and that will never change. So how's she doing? Is she awake yet?"

"Yes, but she has to stay in the hospital for awhile. She's very weak, all hooked up to tubes and monitors and all."

"I'll bet! Poor girl. I'm glad she got the transplant, though. Do you know who the donor was?"

"No, but we'll be forever grateful to them."

"Any idea when she'll be home?"

"It'll be at least several weeks."

"Can I come over and see her when she does come home?"

"Sure. I know she'll be glad to see you."

* * *

The following days and weeks seemed to pass very slowly. Mrs. March was almost constantly at the hospital with Beth, and Jo visited at least once a day herself. In between visits, she spent a lot of time with Meg and the twins. Johnny and Daisy were not quite a year old yet, and were taking steps holding onto furniture, so Meg was having to keep breakable items stored out of their reach.

"Boy, am I glad to see you!" Meg cried as Jo arrived one afternoon. "It's been crazy around here! First Johnny threw up all over himself and the high chair, and while I was cleaning that up, Daisy dumped the entire box of animal crackers out on the floor. What a morning!"

Jo felt a soft hand patting her leg and looked down into Daisy's round blue eyes.

"Jo-Jo?"

"Yep, it's me!" Jo picked the little girl up and kissed her cheek. "How's my sweetie-pie?"

Johnny sat in the middle of the floor, playing with a red stuffed monkey. He looked up at Jo and smiled. Jo carried Daisy into the living room and sat on the sofa. Megan finished sweeping up the animal crackers and sat in the arm chair across from Jo.

"How's she doing?"

"Her appetite seems to be better. She's smiling more."

"That's good." Meg folded onesies from a laundry basket at her feet. "Have you eaten?"

"I went by the hospital cafeteria after visiting Beth."

Jo soon noticed that Daisy had fallen asleep in her arms.

"Why don't you put her in her crib, and I'll get Johnny settled," Meg suggested.

Jo took Daisy into the nursery and laid her in the pink crib, while Meg rocked Johnny to sleep and then laid him in the blue one. Then both women returned to the living room and sat on the sofa.

"So, have you heard any more from your friend in New York?" asked Meg.

"Fritz? I haven't heard much from him lately at all," Jo replied. "He was texting two or three times a day and calling a couple of times a week, but for the last two or three days - nothing. I hope he's all right!"

"Oh, he's probably just busy." Meg gave her sister a reassuring smile. "I'm sure he'll be in touch when he has a chance."

Jo decided it was finally time to share her secret.

"Meg, do you think it's possible to suddenly wake up one morning in someone else's body?"

Meg frowned. "Hmm. I've heard of things like astral projection. Is that what you mean?"

"I'm not sure. What I'm talking about is, waking up in the body of a stranger who lives in a different country and time period."

Meg gasped. "Did that happen to you?"

Jo nodded. "I woke up one morning and found myself in the body of a young girl named Magda Weber. She lives with her grandmother and older brother and sister in Nazi-era Germany."

Meg looked thoughtful for a long time. "Are you sure this really happened and you didn't just dream it?"

"It seemed so real right after it happened, but that was a few months ago, and now I don't feel quite so sure anymore."

"It could have been a stress-induced hallucination," Meg suggested. "You were in a new and unfamiliar place, surrounded by new people, away from home and your family for the first time."

"That could be it," said Jo. "But I just can't stop thinking it must have something to do with Fritz. It happened right after I met him."

"When you thought you were someone else, did you meet a man named Fritz?"

"No, but I met an minister named Reverend Baumgartner. I can't help thinking he and Fritz must be connected, somehow."

Meg laughed. "You always have had a runaway imagination!"

* * *

Jo was sitting in the front porch swing when he drove up in a dark blue BMW. She knew it was him, even before he got out of the car. She called to him and waved, and he waved back.

"How are you?" she asked, standing to meet him as he came closer.

"I am well, thank you. And how are you?"

"Pretty good." She opened the front door and motioned for him to follow her inside. Mrs. March came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dish cloth. Beth sat propped up on the sofa, surrounded by pillows, watching Animal Planet.

Jo introduced everyone. After Mrs. March shook hands with Fritz, he went to Beth and shook her hand.

"You are feeling well today, I hope?"

Beth smiled bravely. "I'm all right."

"I said a prayer that your surgery would go well, and that your new heart would make you strong and healthy again."

"Thank you," said Beth.

"Would you like some coffee?" asked Mrs. March.

"That would be nice, thank you," said Fritz.

"Please, have a seat." Jo nodded toward the end of the sofa. "How are the boys?"

Fritz smiled. "They are fine, spending the summer with their father's sister."

"And how have you been?"

"My situation is much improved. I will soon have the qualifications necessary to work as an instructor at an American university, and then I will be able to provide for my nephews as their mother would have wished."


	11. Teacher's Pet

"That's great news!" Jo enthused. "So are you taking night classes, then?"

Fritz shook his head. "I am doing it all online. It is much easier that way, as I can just wait until the boys are in bed and work on it then. Before I forget, I have presents for all of you."

For Mrs. March, there was a lovely bookmark with a Bible verse on it. 'Peace I leave with you: my peace I give you.' Beside the words was the picture of a dove.

For Jo, there was a Borat DVD.

"How did you know I like Borat?" asked Jo. Fritz only smiled.

For Beth, there was a tiny cat figurine made of glass with a pink swirl inside.

"Josephine told me you have a fondness for cats," Fritz explained as he handed it to her.

"It's beautiful," she said. "Thank you! I'll keep it always."

"Where did you get the car?" Jo wanted to know.

"It belonged to a friend of mine," Fritz told her. "It had been his wife's, but she left him. He did not want a constant reminder of her around, so he let me have it at a bargain price. And what about you, Josephine? How have you been spending your summer?"

"I've been helping Mom care for Beth, and my older sister Meg with her twins. In my spare time, I've been working on my stories."

"Ah, that's right! I remember your telling me you are an aspiring author."

"Want to see some of my stuff?"

"It would be my pleasure."

Jo brought her laptop into the living room and turned it on.

"See, this is a story I'm working on about a woman who falls in love with an alien from Pluto, and here's my other one. It's an updated version of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, but Snow White is a cowgirl instead of a princess, and the seven dwarfs are rangers. They get her out of all kinds of pickles."

Fritz raised an eyebrow. "Pickles?"

"Oh, sorry. They get her out of all kinds of trouble."

Fritz chuckled. "Clever, that. They both seem to be rather lengthy."

"'Plutonian Vibes' is over a hundred thousand words, and 'Lasso My Heart' is right at seventy-five thousand. I have no idea how long either of them will turn out to be. I have some shorter stories, too. Some of them are posted on this website."

She showed him the website, and her profile with her pen name and list of posted stories. Some were only one chapter of less than a thousand words, while others were twenty or thirty thousand words each.

"Very impressive," said Fritz. "How long have you been writing these?"

"Since I was thirteen," Jo told him. "I started out writing fan fiction for movies and TV shows I liked, such as 'Star Trek' and 'Bonanza', and then I started writing original stories."

"You are an ambitious young lady," said Fritz. "Have you not considered enrolling for university courses?"

"I went to college for several years, majoring in elementary education with a minor in creative writing. I was about a year and a half away from graduation when the transmission in my Toyota Corolla died."

_"Ach. _You should have bought a BMW or Audi, or even a Volkswagen. Those cars are built to last."

Jo sighed. "I had to buy what I could afford with my babysitting, car washing, and grass cutting money."

Fritz patted her knee. "I can sympathize. I know what it is like to be poor, but I would like to see you resume your college education. You are such a bright young lady, and I would love to see you reach your potential."

Jo shrugged. "Maybe if I ever get another car."

* * *

"He seems such a kind man," Mrs. March said after Fritz had left. "He's a good bit older than you, but I think that's a good thing. You tend to be flighty at times and need a stable, secure person to keep you well grounded."

It wasn't until later in the day that Jo realized it - _oh my God, he's probably seen 'Teacher's Pet'!_

"Teacher's Pet' was a particularly racy little tale which Jo had written in hopes of selling to an erotica website. It was the first story of that particular type she'd ever written; she'd been hesitant to write it at first, but the lure of a high pay rate had been more than she could resist.

She cringed with shame at the thought of anyone who knew her personally seeing the story - and now she'd given Fritz easy access to it.

Later, her phone buzzed, and she saw that it was Fritz and picked up.

"Hi!"

"Hello, Josephine. I have decided I am in the mood for seafood, but I do not want to dine alone. May I request the pleasure of your company?"

"I'd love to! I mean, yes you may, and I would love to go with you."

"It is settled, then. I will pick you up at six o'clock."

He arrived dressed very nicely in black slacks and a black and white plaid button down the front shirt with short sleeves. Jo caught a whiff of his aftershave, which was a musky, woodsy scent, and commented on how much she liked it.

"I am pleased that you do." She saw his eyes were twinkling. Yours has a very nice aroma as well."

Jo had worn her favorite scent, Gardenia. She was dressed in red shorts with matching red sandals and a lacy white blouse.

Thirty minutes later, they were sitting across from each other in the restaurant, waiting for their food to arrive.

"So, did you look at any of my other stories?" asked Jo.

Fritz smiled. "Indeed, I did."

_Uh-oh, _thought Jo. Her heart began to beat a little faster.

"Which one was your favorite?"

"It is hard for me to say, as they are all so good." He cleared his throat. "It is a naughty little piece you wrote, the one called 'Teacher's Pet.' I did not know you had inclination to such boldness."

Jo felt as if her face were on fire. She stared at the tabletop, until she felt Fritz's fingers gently lifting her chin to look into her eyes.

"I enjoyed it very much," he told her. "Beneath your calm exterior beats the heart of a passionate woman."

Twilight was just giving way to darkness when he walked her to her front door and placed a lingering kiss onto her lips. Engulfed by his musky aroma, she felt as if she were being transported to another world.


	12. Frieda's Secret

As soon as Jo opened her eyes, she knew she'd gone back in time again. She found herself in a different house this time; instead of the white ceiling, she was looking up at the bare wood sloping roof of an attic. Someone nudged her, and she looked over to see Renate, looking several years older than before.

"Time to get up, Magda," said the older girl. "Papa and Horst leave for Stalingrad today."

Jo was jolted awake, scrambling from the bed to find her slippers and then rush downstairs with Renate. What year was the Battle of Stalingrad? she asked herself, wracking her brain to remember. Oh, how she wished she'd paid better attention in class!

At the table downstairs sat an older version of Horst and a tall man with short dark hair. A middle-aged woman with soft light brown curls was setting plates on the table. _Father and Mother._

"Good morning!" called Renate and Jo.

"Good morning, girls." Their mother gave them each a kiss on the cheek. Jo's heart ached for her real mother back home. Would she ever see her again, or would she remain in Magda's life permanently this time?

Jo sat down at the table beside Mr. Weber as Renate sat down beside Horst. The sausage and strudel were delicious, and Jo ate quickly, listening to the conversation around her.

"Is it safe to talk?" asked Mr. Weber.

Mrs. Weber hurriedly glanced out the windows. "I see no one around."

Even so, Mr. Weber's voice was lowered as he began to speak.

"The invasion of the Soviet Union was a huge mistake. We have neither the manpower nor the weaponry to bring them down. This battle will only cost us more lives and ammunition."

Mrs. Weber sighed. "I've known that ever since Barbarossa began. The _Fuhrer _has lost his mind. The invasion of Poland was foolish, the air attack on Great Britain was an even bigger mistake, and to break the nonaggression pact with the Soviets was the worst decision of all."

"I am an old man, Elsa. My fighting days should be over, but I love my country. I have to do all I can for the Fatherland."

Mrs. Weber took her husband's hand and gazed into his eyes. Jo felt her stomach churn. Madly, her eyes darted around for a calendar on the wall. There it was. August 1942.

_The war still has three more years to go. Why, oh why, is this happening to me?_

"I can't eat any more," she said.

"Neither can I," Renate echoed.

"It's time to get ready to go to the railway station, anyway," said Horst.

Although the weather was very warm, Jo was shaking as she and Renate dressed in the attic.

"I'm scared!" she whispered.

"So am I," Renate replied. "I can't help thinking this might be the last time we ever see Papa and Horst!"

Jo put her arms around Renate, and the two girls embraced for a long moment. When they parted, Jo saw tears in Renate's eyes.

"Thanks, Magda. Papa and Mama always worry about how sensitive you are, but today you seem stronger than me."

"Are you almost ready, girls?" came a voice from downstairs.

"Yes, Mama," said Renate.

The girls finished dressing and hurried downstairs. The family piled into the car, and Mr. Weber drove to the railway station.

Saying goodbye to Magda's father and brother was a very emotional time for Jo. Although she'd really only just met Mr. Weber, he didn't realize that, and Jo knew he loved her as a father loved a daughter, as her own father back in Concord loved her.

"You will be a good girl and mind Mama for me," he said as he embraced her.

"Of course I will, Papa," she whispered back.

* * *

The following morning, Jo was shaken awake by Renate.

"Hurry, or we'll be late for work!" Renate said.

The two girls ate breakfast, put on their work uniforms, and walked to the factory. The streets were full of soldiers marching to and fro. The sight of them sent cold chills down Jo's spine.

Inside the factory were rows and rows of sewing machines, and behind each one sat a young woman busy at work. Renate and Jo sat side by side at two empty seats. Jo saw her friend from school sitting across from her. Her name tag read 'Frieda.' She looked up and smiled as Jo sat down.

"Hi, Magda!"

"Hi, Frieda," Jo replied, looking at the pile of black material beside her. She picked up two pant legs and began to sew them together. A woman dressed in gray walked between the two rows, observing the seamstresses closely. She had short blonde hair and fierce blue eyes that looked like they could drill a hole right through someone.

"I'll be so glad when this war is over and all the Jews and other filthy scum are gone," Frieda said in a loud voice.

"The world will belong to us Aryans, as it should," agreed the girl sitting beside her. Her name tag read 'Liesl.'

Jo glared at both girls. Liesl ignored her, but Frieda glared back.

Later, Jo was walking to the lunchroom with the others when someone grabbed her arm so hard the fingernails dug into her skin, and she was yanked into a tiny room which was completely dark.

"You _fool!" _hissed Frieda's voice. "Don't you know they watch our faces too? Come home with me after work. There's something very important I have to show you."

"What is it?" asked Jo.

"Sh! I can't tell you now. Just do it!"

Amazed and perplexed, Jo ate lunch and then returned to her work station. When the shift was over, she told Renate she was going home with Frieda. Renate nodded without saying anything.

As it turned out, Frieda lived in a large, two-story house in the opposite direction from the Weber's. Jo followed Frieda inside, nodding hello to Frieda's mother.

"This way," said Frieda. Jo followed her, noticing her mother walked right behind them.

They walked down a long hallway to a door about halfway down which opened into a small bedroom. Against the wall was a large dresser. Together, Frieda and her mother pulled the dresser away from the wall to reveal a large square opening which had been cut into the wall behind it. From the opening peered two young women of about the same age as Jo and Frieda, and several other people were behind them.


	13. Martina's Diary

_A/N: I have changed Magda's name to Martina._

Shocked, Jo could only stare, mouth agape.

"This is Erika Messer and her sister Toni," said Frieda. "Erika was a year behind us in school, but we used to see her at lunch sometimes. I don't know if you remember. This is her Uncle Norman and Aunt Sylvia." Frieda glanced at a middle aged couple behind Erika and Toni. "Her Aunt Sylvia used to work in our factory a long time ago, when we made all different kinds of uniforms instead of just military uniforms. The boys are Erika's cousins Josef, Max, David, Peter, and Artur."

Frieda turned pleading eyes to Jo. "I'm only showing you this because you're my best friend in the world - and we need your help! Heidi was bringing food to us, but - " Frieda gulped. "She got caught."

A cold chill went down Jo's spine, making her shudder.

"I know it's a grave risk, Martina, and I wouldn't even ask you, except - " She looked down, and her voice dropped. "I know your family has chickens and a cow. If you could just bring us milk and eggs every so often, we'd be ever so grateful."

Jo looked from one desperate, hungry face to another and knew she had to help them any way she could.

"I'll do it," she whispered.

"Don't come in the same way every time," said Frieda. "Use the front door sometimes and the back door other times. Don't make a regular pattern of when you use each door. Bring the supplies in a plain shopping bag and come late in the evening, when most people are already home."

Jo had to know. "How did Heidi get caught?"

"Someone from the factory got suspicious and started following her around. They set up a trap, and she walked right into it. She didn't vary her route enough. That's something else you'll have to be careful about. Go the long way around sometimes."

I'll have to really make myself familiar with the area, Jo thought to herself.

She left Frieda's house feeling as if a heavy burden had just been placed on her shoulders. Oh, if only I could wake up and be back in Concord again! The last time I woke up as Martina, it lasted two days. How long will it last this time?

By the time she reached the Weber home, it was almost dinnertime. Renate was setting the table, and Mrs. Weber was bringing hot bowls of steaming food to the table. The aroma filled Jo's nostrils, making her mouth water.

She wondered how long it had been since the Messers had had anything to eat.

Neither Mrs. Weber nor Renate said anything to Jo. It must be a normal thing for Martina to visit Frieda after work, she supposed.

As they ate, all three family members kept glancing at the empty seats where Mr. Weber and Horst should be sitting. Jo felt an unfamiliar emptiness.

While Mrs. Weber and Renate were cleaning up after dinner, Jo took the opportunity to sneak into Mr. Weber's study. Trying to make as little noise as possible, she opened and shut desk drawers until she found what she was looking for - a map of Berlin. She opened it up and spread it out on the floor. She knew the train station was called the Lichtenrade Station. She found its location on the map and studied the streets surrounding it, memorizing various routes between it, Frieda's house, and the Weber house.

Deep in concentration, she lost all track of time until the sound of the door being opened made her jump.

"Martina! What are you doing in here?" asked Renate. "I've been looking for you for ages!"

Jo was torn. Should she share her secret with her older sister? After a moment of indecision, she pulled Renate further into the room and gently pushed the door shut behind her.

"Frieda has people living behind a dresser in one of her bedrooms," she whispered. "Jews!"

Renate gasped, and her eyes grew round as saucers. She shook her head as she backed away. "I won't tell!"

"They need food, eggs and milk," Jo continued. "That's why she showed me. I'm going to start taking food to them every day."

"I'll help!" said Renate.

"No!" Jo shook her head vehemently. "Don't you understand how dangerous this is?"

Renate thought long and hard. "We'll take turns," she said at last.

Jo opened her mouth to speak, but Renate put a finger to her lips.

"That's how it's going to be, Martina," she said gently, but firmly.

* * *

The sisters studied the map and worked out schedules and routes for themselves until it was quite late. After they finally went to bed, Jo lay awake for a long time, unable to fall asleep. Frieda had told her Erika had gone to school with them. How well had Martina known her? Had she kept a diary?

Jo couldn't wait to find out.

The next chance she got, she searched the attic until she found what she was looking for - several journals filled with Martina's handwriting. She poured over them for several hours, finding nothing about Erika, but a recent entry caught her attention. It was dated June 10, 1942.

_I have been visiting Granny for only these past few days when who should show up but Pastor Baumgartner. Although it's been awhile since the last time I saw him, I recognized him right away._

_"You remember my granddaughter, Martina Weber," said Granny._

_"Of course." He smiled as he shook my hand, and I looked into his eyes and suddenly wondered what his first name is._

_"It's good to see you again, Pastor Baumgartner," I told him._

_"Please, call me Dieter," he replied. So that's his first name!_

_We had a lovely walk in the garden and a nice long chat. He told me of his travels, of the churches he visited in the United States, some of them Colored churches. I have never met a Colored person before! He tells me there are many living in the United States._

_He talks to me as he does to Granny. I am flattered that he takes me so seriously, and already I feel a special bond with him. I'm sure we will be in touch again. _


	14. A Frightening Encounter

As they'd agreed, Jo and Renate took turns sneaking to the barn to gather eggs, to the refrigerator where the milk was stored, and then stealing away to Frieda's house at twilight. Freida's mother always met Jo at the door and quickly took the bag from her, mouthing the word 'thanks.'

Jo always felt as if there were eyes drilling into her body as she traveled back and forth, and she had a sinking feeling she was living on borrowed time, and yet, what choice did she have? She couldn't leave innocent human beings to starve.

Days became weeks, and one Saturday, Jo was returning home with Mrs. Weber's headache medication when she heard a triumphant feminine voice from behind.

"There she is!" Jo turned to see a young woman about her own age with two soldiers. The young woman looked fleetingly familiar. Was she a fellow factory worker?

Jo's heart thundered in her chest as she broke into a run, dodging other pedestrians, her only thought to flee to safety. She came to a bridge which covered a stream and, thankful for the swimming lessons she'd taken as a child, took a deep breath, then slipped over the side and into the water.

She swam underwater until she could stand the pressure in her lungs no more. When she tried to surface, something clung to her foot, and she looked down to see that it was tangled in weeds. Desperately she tried in vain to free it, wondering crazily whether, if she died as Martina, she could never re-appear as Jo in the twenty-first century.

Suddenly there were arms around her, pulling her free of the weeds and toward the shore. When she reached it, she saw her savior had been a policeman. They emerged from the water at almost the same time.

"Th-thanks!" she gasped.

"Do you normally go swimming fully dressed?" he asked.

"A-a big dog was chasing me!"

"A Rottweiler?" asked the policeman.

"Y-yes, that's what it was - a Rottweiler!"

"What's your name?"

"Martina Weber." She'd almost said 'Jo March' but had stopped herself just in time.

The policeman frowned. "Your hair is very dark."

"It looks darker now because it's wet."

He ignored her statement. "Your eyes are very dark as well." To Jo's amazement, he produced a tape measure and measured first the circumference of her head, then the length of her nose. "What does your father do, Miss Weber?"

"Right now he's in Stalingrad fighting the Russians, and so is my brother."

The policeman smiled for the first time. "Very well, then. You may go, but beware of those Rottweilers!"

Jo's clothing and hair were still damp when she reached the house. Mrs. Weber met her at the door, and she suddenly remembered the purpose of her trip.

"I lost your medicine, Mama. I'm sorry!"

"Never mind that! What on earth happened to you?"

"A Rottweiler chased me, and I had to dive off a bridge to get away from it."

Mrs. Weber's eyes registered incredulity, and Jo had to fight a rising panic, until finally her mother nodded.

"All right, then. Put on some dry clothes and help Renate with the laundry."

"But what about your medicine, Mama?"

"I'll go to the chemist on Monday and explain what happened. I hope I can get a replacement, but I doubt it. Pain medicine is in short supply for the injured soldiers in the hospitals."

* * *

Jo found Renate in the back yard, hanging out clean clothes to dry.

"Where have you been?" she asked Jo.

"I was coming back from the chemist with Mama's headache medicine, and - and - " Suddenly the whole story tumbled out of Jo - breathlessly, she related the chain of events in an excited voice. Renate's eyes grew enormous.

"After commenting about how dark my hair and eyes are, he did the strangest thing - took out a tape measure and measured around my head and how long my nose is! Why would he have done that?"

Renate only shook her head. "I've no idea, Martina. I'm just ever so glad he let you go."

What if he hadn't? The thought made Jo shake in her shoes.

* * *

The daily routine continued. Jo arrived at the factory every morning and got right to work, sewing uniforms together, stitching _totenkopf _skulls onto caps, never speaking to, or even looking at, anyone but Renate and Frieda.

One day in August, she came home after work to find her mother holding a letter and sobbing hard. Renate went to her and embraced her.

"What is it, Mama?"

"A letter from Horst," Mrs. Weber told her daughters. "Your father has been killed by a Russian shell attack."

All the color drained from Renate's face. "Oh, no! What will we do without Papa?"

"Surely they'll bring his body home, and allow Horst some time off to be with us," said Jo.

Mrs. Weber shook her head. "The Russians are burying all the dead in mass graves. The fighting is still going on, so Horst can't come home."

Renate's face grew very red, and she threw herself against the wall, which she began to pound with both fists. "I hate Russians!"

Jo went to Renate and held her, thinking of how similar her relationship with Renate as Martina was to her relationship with Beth as Jo. Only their ages were reversed.

"We'll see him again in heaven." It was all she could think of to say.

"I know." Renate stopped crying. "I don't really hate the Russians. We invaded their country, and they have the right to defend themselves. Of course Papa is now in the presence of the Lord. His troubles are over, but what about the rest of us?"

Jo could offer no words of comfort. She knew how much longer the war would drag on, and which side would win.


	15. Change Of Scenery

"Although the body of Heinz Weber lies in a mass grave in the Soviet Union, his soul is now in heaven, rejoicing with the angels," the pastor's voice intoned. To Jo, it seemed strange to have a funeral with no body. Mrs. Weber had called it a 'memorial service.'

"Mr. Weber loved his country, and gave his all for it," the pastor continued. "He was a devoted husband and father, and he will be sorely missed. We ask ourselves why, but words are never sufficient. In the midst of our heartache, we must keep our eyes on God, knowing He is in control and will always work things out for the best."

Jo looked over at Mrs. Weber and Renate, who were both weeping. She just felt numb all over. Recent experiences flashed through her mind. Is this what he died for? So people can live behind walls, terrified of discovery? So policemen can go around measuring people's body parts?

A single tear escaped her eye and rolled down her cheek. She missed her true home more than ever before.

The ceremony drew to a close, and the attendants slowly filed out of the chapel.

Life returned to the former routine of working at the factory all week, sneaking milk, eggs, and any other available food to Frieda's, and church on Sunday. One day, Renate returned from Frieda's still holding the shopping bag.

"They're gone!" she told Jo. "The whole family just disappeared! I waited at the door for a long time for someone to come, but nobody ever did. I tried the door and it wasn't locked, so I went inside and walked all the way through, looking into every room - nobody was there!"

"Oh no!" said Jo. "Do you suppose they got caught?"

"Either that, or they had to go into hiding themselves."

"What about the Messers?"

"They're gone too, as far as I know. I can't move that dresser by myself."

The sisters spent several agonizing days wondering what had become of their friends. Had they been sent to a concentration camp - or worse?

Summer became autumn, and one day in October, Mrs. Weber had news for Jo.

"Your grandmother is in the hospital," she told her younger daughter. "She just had surgery. She's lonely and wants you to come stay with her for awhile."

Jo smiled, recalling the two days she'd spent with her grandmother in this life. That now seemed like a million years ago.

"I think you should go." Mrs. Weber patted her arm. "The change of scenery will do you good."

"I agree, and I'd love to see her again."

"It's settled, then."

Jo went to find Renate and say goodbye to her.

"I'll miss you," Renate said as she hugged her younger sister.

"I'll miss you, too." Although she longed to escape the tense and depressing life she was now living, Jo felt much as she had when she'd said goodbye to Beth before leaving for New York City. "You'll write, won't you?"

"Every single day!"

Jo felt a thrill of excitement go through her as she boarded the train the next day. She couldn't wait to find out what riding in a 1940's passenger train would be like.

The inside of the car was made of dark brown varnished wood, and a chandelier hung from the middle. The floor was also made of varnished wood, and a row of light blue seats went down each side. Clutching her purse, Jo found an empty seat and slid into it.

As the train began to move, she was mesmerized by the passing scenery outside the window. She saw beautiful gardens and greenhouses, elegant buildings and restaurants.

How could so much beauty and so much evil co-exist in the same place? she wondered.

At last the train pulled into the station. From there, it was only a brisk walk to the hospital. She climbed the steps, pulled the heavy door open, and approached the front desk. Behind it sat a plump, stern-looking, middle-aged woman with wispy white curls and steely blue eyes.

_"Heil Hitler." _The woman raised her arm in a Nazi salute.

_"Heil Hitler." _Jo gave the salute, being careful to keep her face blank. "Can you please tell me what room Rita Klein is in?"

The woman checked the roster. "Room 224, upstairs."

"Thanks." Jo turned away quickly.

Down the dimly lit hall she walked, until she came to the carpeted staircase. She passed white-coated doctors and nurses as she climbed, and when she reached the top, she walked down that hall until she reached a brown door labeled '224.'

She knocked softly, then pushed the door open to see Mrs. Klein lying in bed beside a window with white blinds, which had been pulled open to allow sunlight into the room. Beside the bed was medical equipment and a table with a vase holding flowers. On the wall facing Mrs. Klein was a large portrait of Adolf Hitler in full military uniform. Jo grimaced involuntarily.

"I have to lie here day in, day out, staring at that infernal thing," Mrs. Klein mumbled.

"Sh!" Jo whispered, pulling the door shut behind her. "Someone will hear you!"

"What can they do to a little old lady with bad eyesight?" Jo saw that her left eye was completely covered with a large bandage. "I've already lived my life. I'm ready to join your grandfather, and if my journey is hastened, then so much the better."

"Don't talk like that, Granny." Jo kissed her cheek. The skin was as soft as tissue.

"My Martina." Mrs. Klein gave a contented sigh. "Out of all my grandchildren, you're the one I wanted most to see. All they do is feed me and change my bandages. I need company."

Jo slipped her hand into that of the elderly woman, wondering whether she had any idea of the turbulent existence her granddaughter had just been rescued from.

"Your mother wrote and told me of the loss of your father," said Mrs. Klein.

"They wouldn't even give Horst time off to come home for the memorial service."

"Of course they wouldn't. What else would you have expected?" Mrs. Klein's good eye burned a hole in the Hitler portrait. "I'm just glad you, Renate, and your mother had each other to lean on in your time of grief."

The door swung open, and Dieter Baumgartner entered the room. Jo gasped, startled to see him in this setting. He looked right at her, his eyes soft with tenderness and compassion.

"Dear one, your grandmother told me you have lost your father."

"He died at Stalingrad," Jo told him. "The Russians buried him in a mass grave."

Suddenly, all the tears which had been welled up inside her came gushing out, and Jo hid her face in her hands as she sobbed. A moment later, she felt him beside her, stroking her hair, whispering words of comfort.

He had no way of knowing the father she mourned was not the one lost at Stalingrad, but the one back in Concord.


	16. The Letter

"Remember that God is with us in our time of trouble. He never leaves our side." Dieter's words were like a warm blanket of comfort.

"Have you ever lost anyone close?" Jo asked, when she could speak again.

Dieter nodded. "My brother Ernst was killed in the Great War. I was just ten years old when it happened. All I understood was I'd never see his face again, or talk to him, or play games with him, and that made me very sad."

"How many brothers and sisters do you have?" Jo was suddenly very curious, yet at the same time, she wondered whether he'd already told Martina at some point in the past.

He smiled. "I have one remaining brother, and three sisters. I hope you can meet them all soon."

"Do they all live here in Berlin?"

"No. My sister Sophia is married to a Jewish man. Thankfully, they were already resettled in Switzerland before things got as bad as they are now. My oldest brother, Max, is a scientist in Gottingen. The rest of my family still lives here." He turned to Mrs. Klein. "And how do you feel today, Rita? Are you in any pain?"

"Nothing the good Lord can't help me bear." She smiled and patted Jo's arm. "It's much easier with my Martina here. She's like a ray of sunshine."

"Indeed she is. Shall we pray?" He took Mrs. Klein's and Jo's hands into his own. "Dear Lord, we ask that you would continue to bless Rita Klein, and keep your hand of healing upon her. Bring peace and comfort to the Weber family in their time of sorrow. We ask your hand of protection over Horst in Stalingrad, and if it is your will, we ask a swift end to this war and a safe return of our countrymen, and those of the Allied troops as well. In your name, amen."

"I love to hear you pray," said Mrs. Klein.

"I was a little surprised to hear you mention the Allied troops," said Jo.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I? They have family and loved ones who long for their safe return as well."

"War is so stupid," Jo mumbled.

A nurse entered the room and proceeded to take Mrs. Klein's vitals. Jo remembered how Beth had looked in the ICU following her transplant - the tubes, the ventilator, the IV. How was Beth faring now? Was there any way she could find out what was going on back in her own world? Did that world even exist anymore?

After the nurse had left, Mrs. Klein closed her eyes. "I'm going to rest now. You young folks do whatever you want."

Dieter's eyes met Jo's, and in an unspoken agreement, they left the room and walked outside into the sunshine.

"You're quite right, you know," Dieter said as they walked along the sidewalk surrounding the green grass of the hospital grounds. Large trucks rumbled past on the street. Jo shuddered involuntarily, wondering what - or whom - they contained.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"When you said war was stupid. Certainly God expects his children to get along better than they do."

Jo gulped. Questions sprang to her mind. Should she tell him about the situation with Frieda and the Messers?

She took a deep breath. "Your sister with the Jewish husband."

"What about her?"

"You said they're in Switzerland now."

"They've been there for four years. A friend and I helped them cross the border, but why do you ask?"

She glanced around quickly to make sure nobody was in earshot.

"Well, you see, I have this friend - Frieda. She worked with Renate and me at the factory. One day she took me home with her and showed me the Jews her family was hiding behind the wall."

She glanced at him to see he was calmly waiting for her to continue.

"She said she needed me to bring milk and eggs to them. Renate helped me, but one day after Papa died, she came home and told me they were all gone! Frieda's family, I mean. Renate and I have both been worried sick about them since then. I keep thinking maybe they're in Switzerland, or somewhere."

He gazed earnestly into her eyes as he took both her hands into his own. "I will pray for their safety."

"My father once said, pray as if everything depends on God, and act as if everything depends on you." She was talking about her father in Concord, but of course he had no way of knowing that. "I suppose all we can do is pray, at this point." Her voice was almost a whisper, A moment later, she felt his finger gently brush her cheek. It sent an electric shock down her spine.

"Dearest Martina, you were always the wisest of my confirmation students." Confirmation classes? When had those been?

"You realize that in some cases, prayer is all we are capable of, and yet in others, we also have the power to act."

Jo shook her head, bewildered. "Whatever are you talking about?"

He cleared his throat. "Perhaps we should be headed back."

* * *

Jo found sleep impossible that night. To have been uprooted from her twenty-first century life in Concord and plunged into Martina's life in Berlin in 1942 was one thing; to be jerked away from her new family when she was just starting to get used to them and sent somewhere else was another. How did Dieter fit into all this? He must play some major role, but what was it?

And what about Fritz? Would she ever see him again? If she did, what would their relationship be like, after all she'd been through?

She wasn't surprised at all when Dieter came to her grandmother's hospital room again the next day - and the next. She was always glad to see him and enjoyed his company very much. She soon realized that the two of them shared a special bond - so much so that, although she missed her family and Fritz back in Concord, she found herself hoping she could remain where she was at least a while longer.

True to her word, Renate wrote to her every day. One day she included news that filled Jo with happiness.

"I finally received word from Freida that she and her family are safe. Of course she can't say where they are, but they are all well, and she also wanted me to tell you that homes were found for all the puppies, so none of them had to go to the pound."

She read the letter to Mrs. Klein and Dieter the next day.

Dieter frowned. "Puppies?"

"Can't you see? It's in code, in case the letter was intercepted. It means the Messers are safe, too."

"Praise God!" said Mrs. Klein.


	17. Meeting Dieter's Family

After several weeks in the hospital, Mrs. Klein was sent home to finish recuperating there, and Jo accompanied her. She cleaned house, cooked, cleaned, did laundry, and spent hours in Bible study with Mrs. Klein and Dieter, who still visited almost every day. In her previous life in Concord, she'd never given the Bible much thought, and now, she was pleasantly surprised to find herself deeply immersed in engaging conversations about different passages and their application to life in the 1940's.

One Sunday afternoon, Dieter invited them both to his sister's home.

"My nephew Oskar is about to go off to war, and we are giving him a farewell party," he explained.

The drive to Pankow took about half an hour. Dieter's sister's home was about the same size as Mrs. Klein's. A large chestnut tree was in the front yard, which was dotted with blueberry shrubs. A winding path leading to the front door was lined with beautiful yellow and white Narcissus flowers.

Dieter rang the doorbell, and several seconds later, an attractive middle-aged woman with gray eyes and long, wavy, salt-and-pepper hair appeared.

"Greetings, Ulricka." Dieter hugged her and kissed her cheek. "You know my dear friend, Rita Klein, and this is her granddaughter, Martina Weber."

"I'm pleased to meet you." Ulricka smiled and shook Jo's hand. "Please come inside. The party's just getting started."

Inside the house was a large table with a white tablecloth. It was laden with all kinds of delicious pastries. In the living room, Willi Stanke was playing on the Victrola. About twenty people stood in small groups, chatting. Dieter led Jo to a man of about his age.

"I would like you to meet my best friend, Werner Bohmke," he told her. "Werner, this is Martina Weber."

"How do you do." Werner shook Jo's hand. "I'm so glad to finally meet you. Dieter has told me so much about you."

"Good things, I hope," said Jo.

"Nothing but!" Both men laughed.

Next Dieter led Jo to an elderly couple. "My parents, Paul and Julia Baumgartner. The young woman I told you about, Martina Weber."

"Ah, yes. Of course." Paul smiled as he gave Jo a firm handshake.

"Hello, dear." Julia enfolded her in a maternal hug. They seem such nice people, thought Jo. No wonder Dieter turned out like he did.

The introductions proceeded. "Ulricka's husband, Rudi, her son, Oskar, and her daughter, Sybille." Sybille was pretty, with dark hair and brown eyes. She looked to be about Jo's age.

"When do you have to leave?" Jo asked Oskar.

"Tomorrow morning."

"Are they sending you to Stalingrad?"

He nodded.

"My brother's already there," said Jo.

"Uncle Dieter told us of the loss of your father," said Sybille. "We're very sorry."

"Thank you," said Jo. She chose a pastry from the assortment on the table and began to nibble on it.

A waltz began to play. "Can I have this dance?" Dieter asked Jo.

Jo smiled. "Of course!"

As he took her hand and led her onto the floor, she was charmed but, at the same time, she felt a distinct sense of guilt. What about Fritz? What would he think if he knew she was dancing with this - stranger - from another time?

And yet, Dieter wasn't a stranger at all, she realized. In the time she'd spent with him, she'd gotten to know him at least as well as she knew Fritz. In the turmoil which was her new life, she'd come to see him as her main source of stability and comfort, and the bond she shared with him seemed to grow stronger with time.

As they danced, a peace settled over Jo, and she suddenly knew that, although she couldn't understand it, right here with Dieter was exactly where she was meant to be.

She glanced over his shoulder to see Sybille waltzing with Werner. Must be a thing with this family, she surmised. She wondered if Paul was significantly older than Julia. To her, they'd looked close in age.

Sybille winked at her, and she gave a self-conscious smile as she felt her face burn.

When the dance was over, Rudi made an announcement. "Today, we are gathered together to bid my son farewell as he marches off to an unknown fate in a distant land. We pray the Lord's blessing and protection over him and his fellow soldiers. As we all know, sometimes we must fight for a cause we don't believe in. Duty to the Fatherland must always come first."

Later, Sybille grabbed Jo by the arm and pulled her into an empty room.

"You like him, don't you?"

"Dieter?"

Sybille rolled her eyes and giggled. "Of course, Uncle Dieter! Who else would I mean? Well, I can tell you he likes you at least as much as you like him, if not more. You're all he can talk about these days."

"And you like Werner."

Sybille blushed and looked down. A slow smile spread across her face. Then she leaned close to Jo and whispered in her ear.

"You mustn't breathe a word of this to anyone, but there's a plan to remove the _Fuhrer _from power and make a peace agreement with the Allies. Werner told me about it. He, Uncle Dieter, and Papa are all a part of it. Others are involved as well. I'm not sure who all of them are, or any of the details, but I thought you should know."

With all her heart, Jo wished she'd paid better attention in history class. She did know Hitler had survived until nearly the end of the war and then taken his own life. Was this what she'd been sent back in time for, then? Would she become part of the pot to overthrow Hitler? If so, would it be successful? How much would that, in turn, change the whole course of history?

She couldn't wait to find out!

"You look like you're a million miles away," Dieter remarked as he drove her back to her grandmother's house later.

She looked at him closely. Could she dare to share her secret with him?

Of course not; he'd think she was crazy!

"I was just thinking." She gazed out the window at the houses, trees, and people whizzing past.

"Yes?"

"I know it's a sin to wish harm on anyone, but - it would certainly be - _convenient - _if the _Fuhrer _were to get into an accident, or have a heart attack, or something."

"Sh!" Dieter looked at her in alarm. "You must never let anyone hear you talk like that - it's considered treason and is a capital crime!" He sighed, then continued in a calmer voice. "I understand how you feel, however. A lot of people share the same sentiments." He smiled and squeezed her hand. "Myself, for one."


	18. Dieter's Question

With Mrs. Klein's recovery complete, Jo took the train back home. Mrs. Weber and Renate met her at the station. An exuberant Renate showed her the gold wedding band on her ring finger.

"Congratulations!" said Jo. "Who is he?"

"Thanks. His name is Konrad Weiss," said Renate. "You've met him before; his family used to attend church with us. How's Granny?"

"Fine. She can see a whole lot better now. The only thing she still needs glasses for is reading."

Preparations for the holiday season were soon underway. For Jo, Christmas at the Kirkes last year seemed like a million years ago. This year, there would be no television, no computers, no cell phones. Jo was dying to know how her family was getting on without her. And what about Fritz? Did he think she'd just deserted him? Had he already met someone else?

Was it even fair of her to hope he hadn't, in light of her growing feelings for Dieter? She'd never thought of herself as fickle, and yet, she'd had no way of knowing her twenty-first century life in Concord would suddenly and without warning be exchanged for this one.

As Christmas day grew nearer, Renate's recent marriage was the only bright spot for the family. War rations meant severe restrictions on food and other necessities, the death of Mr. Weber was still a raw, painful wound, and Horst's new life as a POW in the Soviet Union was uncertain. Christmas Day was bleak, cold, and dreary. The three women hovered about the house like restless ghosts, eating their meager portions, exchanging small handmade gifts and forced smiles.

The evening was cheered by an unexpected telephone call.

"Dieter!" Jo was so excited she almost dropped the receiver.

"I couldn't let the day pass without hearing your voice," said Dieter. "I hope you and your loved ones are all well."

"We're all right. Renate married Konrad Weiss before he had to go off to war."

"Give her my congratulations and best wishes. My family and I have enjoyed a delicious meal and a day of heartwarming fellowship. Oskar has written that he is well and that the troops have adequate rations." His voice grew tender. "I know Christmas for you isn't the same without the presence of your dear father. I hope you are comforted by the fact that he is looking down on you from above, and that Christmas for him this year is even more real, as he is now in the presence of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ."

"I hadn't looked at it quite that way." Jo couldn't remember her father in Concord ever expressing a similar sentiment. He'd always been more focused on life on earth than in the hereafter.

* * *

The factory had run out of material and had to close, so Renate and Jo now worked in a hospital, caring for the wounded soldiers. The screams and moans of the injured and dying, and the sight and smell of blood and other bodily fluids, became sickeningly familiar.

One Friday night, Jo had to stay at the hospital many hours after she should have gone home, cleaning blood, vomit, and excrement from a long day of amputations and other gruesome procedures. When she got home, she scrubbed and scrubbed in the bath, feeling like she'd never be clean again. When she at last collapsed into bed, exhausted, it was well past midnight.

The next day, she felt herself being shaken awake. It took her several minutes to remember who, and where, she was.

"Wake up, Martina! You have a visitor!" cried Renate.

"Who is it?" Jo asked, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"Pastor Baumgartner - he just came in by train!"

"Dieter?" All of a sudden, Jo was wide awake. Not wanting to keep him waiting any longer than necessary, she dashed to the bathroom for a quick freshen up, then back to the bedroom to put on her nicest dress before going downstairs to meet him.

He stood in the entryway, dressed in a gray wool suit. When he saw her, he smiled and held out his hand, and she went to him.

"I hope I didn't disturb you," he said.

"Not at all! I guess I just needed a little extra rest. I had a long, hard day at work yesterday."

"So your mother told me. I should give you a chance to eat breakfast."

"Won't you join me? I'd feel funny eating alone."

While she gulped porridge and slurped black coffee, he sipped a glass of ice water and watched her.

"If I'd known you were coming today, I would have given the house a thorough cleaning," Mrs. Weber told him.

He smiled. "It's quite all right. The house looks fine. I wouldn't want you to go to any extra work on my account."

Jo was famished and finished her breakfast in record time. Dieter chatted with her mother and Renate while she ate. He asked Renate all about her new husband, and she told him how they'd met and how long they'd known each other. Jo listened attentively, curious herself.

When she finished eating, Dieter took her hand and led her into the parlor, where they sat together on a sofa.

"I've discussed this with your mother, and she has given me her blessing," he said. "I realize the timing isn't optimal, but where matters of the heart are concerned, some things just have to be discussed. I have loved you for some time now, Martina, and my feelings grow stronger every day.

What I want so badly to ask you may be selfish. Before you give me your answer, it's only right you should know there is a plan, and I am a part of it. I can't tell you any of the details at this time. To do so would endanger your safety, so you'll just have to trust me. I know what I'm doing is right; more than that, it's what I _must _do. I have no other choice."

"Sybille mentioned at the party that there's a plan."

"Sybille." He smiled. "Don't believe anything she says."

"So is it not true, then?" In her heart, she knew it was.

"As I said, I cannot share anything about that with you. Only know that I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you." He slipped to one knee beside the sofa. "Martina Weber, will you marry me?"

Fritz's face swam before her mind's eye. Would she ever see him again? And yet, Dieter was here now, his clear blue eyes looking at her with such sincerity. There was only one answer she could give.

"Yes."


	19. Ludwig

Tenderly he kissed her, holding her face between his hands. It was a chaste kiss, yet its softness, its urgency, reminded her of the kiss Fritz had placed on her lips the last night she'd spent in the twenty-first century.

She had to swallow hard. _I may never see him again. I may never see any of them again._

And yet, to remain here in the 1940's, among the new people she'd met and already formed strong emotional bonds with - would that really be so terrible? If she woke up tomorrow and found herself back in the twenty-first century, she'd miss them all dearly as well.

Dieter smiled and took her hand. "We'd better rejoin the others before they start wondering what happened to us."

They returned to the kitchen, where Mrs. Weber gave Dieter a questioning look, and he gave her an almost imperceptible nod. She beamed and gave him a close embrace.

Is this the way things were in the 1940's? Jo wondered.

Dieter stayed and visited with the family for several hours, then returned home on the train. After he'd left, Jo felt an emptiness inside that was almost palpable. With memories of this golden Sunday still vivid in her mind, she dreaded returning to the stench and horror of the hospital.

One day, a new group of soldiers were brought in. It included a young man who made Jo think of Teddy. He was about the same age, and his dark hair was parted in a similar style.

All that remained of his arms were two bloody stumps that ended right above where the elbows had once been.

Jo cleaned him up as well as she could and gave him pain medication.

"You're pretty," he told her. "What's your name?"

"Martina."

"I'm Ludwig." His gray eyes were dull and filled with pain. Jo wondered if they'd ever danced with fun, as Teddy's had. "I'm from Vienna," he continued. "I learned to play piano when I was just four years old. I had my heart set on attending the conservatory, but then the war started, and I was drafted into the army."

"I'm sorry." Jo couldn't think of anything else to say.

"I never wanted to be a soldier. All I ever wanted was to play piano." His voice was choked with tears. "And now I never will again."

"But you still have your life," said Jo. "As long as there's life, there's hope. You're young and intelligent. You can still live a life that's worthwhile."

His eyes blazed with anger as he uttered a string of curses. "If I can't play piano, I don't want to live."

"My fiance is a pastor. He'd say God spared your life for a reason."

"I don't believe in God anymore. How could I, after this?"

Later in the day, when Jo tried to feed him a spoonful of soup, he turned his head away.

"You have to eat," Jo insisted. "You have to get your strength back so you can recover."

"I'm not going to recover," he muttered through clenched teeth.

After the meal, pain medication was once again administered to the patients. While the other men slept, Ludwig closed his eyes in imitation of sleep, but Jo saw how his jaw was still set and heard his low moans of pain.

Things continued like this for several days, until one afternoon, Ludwig's face relaxed, and he was silent.

Glad that he was finally able to rest, Jo went about her other tasks, but when the next meal time arrived, she was unable to awaken him. Alarmed, she summoned Dr. Hauser.

"Ludwig won't wake up. I think there's something wrong with him."

Dr. Hauser placed his stethoscope on Ludwig's chest and listened for a few seconds, then felt for his pulse, and lastly shone a light into his eyes.

"He's dead," he told Jo.

"But why did he die? He wasn't bleeding anymore, and there was no sign of infection."

"Who knows? Perhaps he just gave up the will to live. It happens sometimes."

Jo thought of something. She opened Ludwig's mouth and swept her finger underneath his tongue. The tiny plastic remnants of the pain medication capsules were still there.

Tears filled her eyes, and she struggled to prevent them from falling.

* * *

Dieter came to visit again that weekend, bringing happier news.

"Werner and Sybille are getting married on Easter Sunday, and I'm to perform the ceremony," he told her.

"That's wonderful!" she replied. But what about our own wedding? she wanted to ask, but knew she couldn't.

"It has to happen soon; otherwise, Sybille will be conscripted into the _Wehrmachthelferin," _Dieter explained, as if he could read her mind. "Our own situation is different. Your mother would only agree to our engagement if I promised her we would wait at least one year."

Jo gulped, realizing she didn't know Martina's exact age. As she'd finished school, Jo had assumed she must be at least eighteen, but now she wasn't so sure.

"Please try to be happy for them, darling," said Dieter.

"Oh, I am!"

Easter morning, Dieter collected Jo at six in the morning in his car and drove her to the church. The only people who were there when they arrived were Sybille and her parents. Sybille's eyes were dancing with joy.

"Oh, Martina, I'm so happy; I can't wait!" she cried when she saw Jo.

"Congratulations!" Jo replied as the two young women embraced.

Soon Paul, Julia, and the rest of Dieter's family arrived, and the ceremony began.

Jo had never seen a more beautiful wedding. As tears streamed down her face, Dieter looked more handsome to her than ever before, and her mind returned to that long-ago morning when she'd heard him preach for the first time.

When he pronounced the couple husband and wife, everyone cheered and threw rice. A reception followed. Despite war rations, there was a moderately-sized white cake and a bowl filled with somewhat watery punch. There was a waltz afterwards, and Jo danced with Dieter, as she'd done the previous November.

Suddenly the music stopped, and everyone gasped. Jo turned her head to see several men wearing long black coats approaching, headed straight for Dieter!

"Are you Dieter Baumgartner?" asked one of them.

"I am."

"You are under arrest for subversion."


	20. The Visit

Jo was frozen, unable to do anything but watch in helpless horror as the men handcuffed Dieter and led him away. She was too shocked even to cry out. She felt someone touch her arm and looked into the eyes of Dieter's father, Paul.

"Come on, dear; I'll drive you home," he said.

"Thank you," she murmured.

Her feet were heavy as she followed him to his car. As they rode along, the passing scenery looked much the same as it had before, but her heart was filled with a new sorrow.

"What do you think they'll do to him?" she asked.

"Most likely, they just want to ask him some questions," said Paul. "He'll probably be released soon."

Jo rubbed her arms. Suddenly, she felt chilly. "Where do you suppose they took him?"

"There are several possibilities."

"I'm so afraid I'll never see him again!"

Paul placed a comforting hand on her arm. "We must try to remain positive, dear. The situation is far from hopeless."

As the neighborhood which had become so familiar to her came into view once again, Jo felt as if her stomach were tied in knots. The optimism she'd felt this morning had completely vanished. She now felt that all she had to look forward to was more drab, dismal work at the hospital, more heartbreaking scenarios such as the one involving Ludwig.

"Please let me know as soon as you find out something!" she said, after thanking Paul for the ride.

"Of course I will, dear."

Mrs. Weber was waiting for her at the door. As Jo embraced her, the tears finally came.

"Dieter's been arrested!" she sobbed.

"While performing the wedding?"

"No, but right afterwards. We were dancing when some men in long black coats came and took him away."

"The Gestapo." Mrs. Weber's face was set in anger.

"Dieter's father thinks they just want to question him, and they won't hold him long."

Mrs. Weber didn't say anything.

Julia Baumgartner called several days later.

"Dieter is being held at the Plotzensee Prison," she told Jo. "He says he is being treated well, and the prison is only about ten minutes away from our home, so when he is able to receive visitors, it will be no problem for us to get there."

"When will that be?"

Julia sighed. "The Lord only knows. Why don't you come and stay with us for awhile, Martina? Paul and I love you as a daughter. We can plan the wedding, and it can take place as soon as our son is free."

"But what about my work as a nurse?"

"Do you enjoy that?"

Jo began to cry. "I hate it! So much pain and sorrow and grief - sometimes I feel like I just can't stand it anymore!"

"If you are willing, Paul would like for you to work as his secretary," said Julia. "He could use help in keeping his patient's files organized, and with other clerical duties."

"I'd like that!" said Jo.

The next day, she packed up her belongings, said goodbye to Mrs. Weber and Renate once again, and took the train to Charlottenburg. Paul and Julia met her at the station and drove her to their home.

Once inside the huge house, Jo wandered from room to room, exploring their contents, until she came to the room which was obviously Dieter's. It contained folders and notebooks with his name on them. Jo was sorely tempted to read his writings but resisted the temptation. She did look through his library, and was so captivated by its contents that she spent hours looking through his huge collection of books.

* * *

Six months passed. Jo's days were filled with typing up notes on psychiatric patients, answering the telephone, and writing letters to Dieter. Occasionally, she took the train to spend the weekend with Mrs. Weber and Renate, returning on Sunday evening.

In November, Dieter was finally allowed to have visitors. As Jo walked in through the huge blue doors, she couldn't help but wonder what her fiance would look like after six months in prison. Would he be thin and gaunt, like pictures of prisoners she'd seen online in her old life?

To her surprise and relief, Dieter looked healthy and even cheerful. His face lit up as he gave her a bear hug, and she held onto him as if she never wanted to let go.

When they parted at last, he cupped her chin in his hand and gazed into her eyes.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

"I am well, thank you. The Lord has supplied all my needs. The more important question is, how have _you _been, little one?"

"I've been all right, except for missing you more than words can say. Your father keeps me busy with typing and filing, and your mother and I have become very close. We both care for you so much, and we've bonded over that."

He smiled. "I knew that would be the case."

"I love spending time in your room. You have so many interesting books! I hope you don't mind my reading them."

"Absolutely not! I'm glad they are there for your enjoyment. Have you looked at my writings as well?"

She felt herself flush as she looked down. "No. I was tempted to, but that would be an invasion of privacy, wouldn't it?"

"Not at all, dearest Martina. Much of that was written for your sake, in hopes that it would encourage you. I want to share my whole life with you, and that includes my writings."

Tears came to her eyes. "I love you, Dieter."

"And I love you, Martina. Just be patient for a little while longer, and we'll be together for the rest of our lives."

The visit ended far too soon. As she rode back home with Paul and Julia, Jo wondered how long she'd have to wait for another visit with the man she loved.

When she reached the Baumgartner home, she went to Dieter's room right away. She got out his writings, and her eyes eagerly devoured page after page. One section in particular impressed her.

_"Shall we sin to our heart's content, trusting in the blood of Jesus to cover all? This would be a terrible choice, in that it would cheapen the value of God's sacrifice. He gave His most precious gift, the life of His Son, to provide a way for us to be saved. How can we fail to appreciate that?"_


	21. Ominous News

Jo arrived at the Bohmke home to find Sybille sitting in a rocking chair, holding her new son. She looked at the tiny, red, wrinkled face to see that the baby was asleep.

"His name is Dieter Werner Bohmke," Sybille told Jo. "Uncle Dieter is his godfather."

"He's precious!" said Jo. "Can I hold him?"

"Of course!"

Jo took the newborn into her arms and held him close. She remembered holding Johnny and Daisy after they were born, how proud she felt to be an aunt. Would she ever get to see them again?

Little Dieter awakened, and his lips began to nudge the front of her shirt, seeking her breast. An unfamiliar ache went through her, and she reluctantly handed the baby back to his mother.

"It's funny," she said. "I never saw myself as being a mother, but seeing you with Dieter is making me have second thoughts." She almost mentioned her niece and nephew back in Concord but stopped herself just in time.

"I never imagined I'd be a mother this young," Sybille replied. "As Uncle Dieter would say, if it's the Lord's will, it will happen. How was he doing the last time you saw him?"

"He seemed fine, just like always. He was concerned about you and said he would pray you had a safe delivery."

"Werner went to see him right after our son was born," said Sybille. "He was very happy and honored to be little Dieter's godfather."

Jo had the chance to visit Dieter again herself several weeks later. She found him beaming and in an extra good mood.

"Have you met my namesake and godson?" was the first thing he asked.

Jo nodded. "He's a beautiful baby."

"I very much look forward to meeting him," said Dieter.

"How much longer do you think they'll keep you in here?" asked Jo. "I thought they just wanted to ask you some questions and then release you, but it's been a year now and you're still here."

"It isn't for us to question God's ways," Dieter replied. "I don't know why I'm still here, but I do know it's for a reason. Perhaps it's to bring encouragement to my fellow inmates and uplift their spirits."

Jo heard a loud whistling noise from above, followed by a deafening crash. The lights went out, and pieces of the roof began to fall. Dieter pushed Jo under a table, shielding her body with his own.

"Who's t-trying to k-kill us?" she stammered.

"The Royal Air Force."

"The English?"

"Yes, and the Americans as well."

"The _Americans?" _Jo tried to remember whether any of her family members had been in World War II. A great grandfather or two, perhaps. How bizarre to be killed by your own great grandfather!

Once again, she wondered whether, if she died as Martina, she would cease to exist as Jo in her own place and time as well.

"Yes, the Americans. Why are you surprised? You know they joined the war on the side of the Allies almost three years ago."

"No reason," Jo said quickly.

"Do you know any Americans?"

"Um, no." She supposed the answer was true enough under the circumstances.

"I do. They're my friends." His voice dripped with sorrow. Jo remembered Martina's diary entry from two years ago.

After awhile everything became quiet. Jo slowly crept from beneath the table to survey the damage. Piles of rubble were everywhere, and a whole wall had been knocked down.

"Hey, maybe we can find a way out of here!" She took a few cautious steps, then looked back at him. "Well, aren't you coming?"

"No."

"But why not?"

"Remember the story of Paul and Silas?"

"Well, yes, but..."

"Am I any better than they were?"

Suddenly she was angry. "Why do you want to be a martyr so badly - so everybody can talk about what a great guy you were after you're dead?"

His face was set with fury. "You'd better go, Martina. Perhaps I overestimated your maturity."

Hot tears filled her eyes as she ran from the clutter and chaos.

* * *

One day, Jo entered the living room to find Paul and Julia sitting on the sofa, completely silent.

"Is everything all right?" she asked.

"There was an attempt on the _Fuhrer's _life today," Paul told her. "A suitcase containing a bomb was placed under the table at which he was sitting. He wasn't seriously injured, but he's furious. He's determined that the perpetrators will be caught and brought to justice right away."

Jo's heart began to beat madly. Had Dieter been behind the plot? If so, was there any way of tracing it back to him?

Suddenly, her legs felt very weak. Julia stood and came to her.

"What's wrong, darling? You look so pale?"

"Dieter," was all she could say.

Julia frowned. "Do you think he had something to do with what happened?"

"I-I don't know. When he asked me to marry him, he said he was involved in a plot of some sort, that he couldn't tell me the details because it would endanger my life."

"Oh." Julia's face blanched. It was obvious Dieter had said nothing to his parents, undoubtedly to spare them the worry.

Paul stood and embraced his wife. "What's done is done. You know our son has always followed his heart, and it's never led him wrong."

Jo couldn't wait to see Dieter again. She hoped he wasn't still angry at her. She'd given their last conversation a lot of thought, and to her, it seemed crazy that he wouldn't act on a possible chance to escape, but knowing him as well as she did, she was sure he had a good reason.

The more she thought about it, the worse she felt. She became more and more eager for her next opportunity to visit him. She planned to apologize first thing.

The next time she entered the prison, she saw the guard who usually arranged her visits with Dieter and asked to see her fiance.

"He is no longer here," the guard replied.

"Where has he been taken?"

"I cannot say. All I can tell you is that he is no longer a prisoner here."

Jo's heart fell into her stomach. _It can't be! Where is he now? Was it because of the attempted assassination? If so, has he been sentenced to death?_

She went to sleep that night vowing to herself that somehow, someway, she would find out where Dieter was and what had happened to him.


	22. At The Beach

She opened her eyes to find herself back in her bedroom in the house in Concord. Had it all been just a dream, then? It had lasted so long, and had seemed so real, she was sure it _had _been - but was she wrong?

The summer sun streamed through her bedroom window and fell across her sheets, and the room looked exactly as it had that night she'd come to bed after her dinner date with Fritz.

Had that really been almost two years ago? She got out of bed and went to the kitchen. Mrs. March glanced up and smiled at her.

"Morning, Jo."

"Morning, Mom." Jo poured herself a cup of coffee, fixed herself some cereal, and then sat down at the table. She was about halfway finished eating when Beth arrived, able to get around well enough but still pale and thin, giving her mother and sister a tired smile.

"Here's some coffee for you." Mrs. March poured the coffee, added two sugars and two creams, just the way Beth liked it, and sat it in front of her youngest daughter. Jo fixed a bowl of cereal for Beth and sat it in front of her.

"Thank you both," said Beth. "I think maybe I can start doing some things for myself from now on."

"I just don't want you to take on too much, too soon," said Mrs. March with a worried frown.

Jo was thrilled to see her mother and sister again, as she'd spent such a long time in that other life this time, she'd begun to accept it was hers for good.

Or had it all been merely a dream, after all?

The others - Mrs. Weber, Renate, Frieda, Paul, Julia, Sybille, Dieter - most especially Dieter - had seemed so real to her, as real as her mother and Beth were now. Had she dreamed of real people? Had they all actually existed in another time and place?

"I'd like to go to Gloucester today." Beth's voice cut into her thoughts. "It's just so peaceful on the shore. I love to watch the little birds swooping and dipping in the sky, and the crashing of the waves is so soothing."

"Great idea!" said Jo. "Will you take us, Mom?"

"Oh, no, dear. I promised Meg I'd help her with the twins today," said Mrs. March. "But you can use the car. I'll just call Meg to pick me up."

"Thanks!" Jo said, and her sister smiled. It had been so long since Jo had been alone with her younger sister she couldn't even remember the last time. She swallowed a lump in her throat as she realized that if it hadn't been for the heart donor, there may never have even been the opportunity of today.

The sisters finished breakfast, then put on their swimsuits with their shorts and shirts over them so they wouldn't have to change clothes on the beach. They packed sandwiches and snacks, towels, and suntan lotion. Then they got into Mrs. March's car, and Jo got onto the interstate going northeast. She sang along with the Taylor Swift CD as she drove.

It was so good to hear twenty-first century music again.

She found a nice spot on the beach and parked. The sky was a beautiful light blue, and the air smelled of brine. White sand stretched as far as the eye could see, with patches of sea reeds dotting the landscape every few feet.

Jo and Beth found a nice location and spread their quilt. The soft cadence of a rhythmic beat came from a CD player a few feet away from them. Jo couldn't quite make out the song lyrics. A young couple of about their age sat on the quilt beside it. The boy was well built, with short brown hair and a tan. The girl was slight and had sunflower blonde hair. She had a hearing aid in one ear. She smiled as Jo and Beth approached.

Self-conscious of her surgical scars, Beth wore a modest one-piece swimsuit. Uncomfortable with her body as always, Jo did as well. The two slathered suntan lotion all over their bodies and lay down to work on their tans.

Jo was almost asleep when she noticed a delicious aroma wafting on the air, which made her stomach growl. She rolled over to see the other couple cooking on a spit.

"That sure smells good," Beth remarked.

"We'll get out the sandwiches in a little while," said Jo, her mouth watering.

"I'm going to look for sea shells," said Beth. "Are you coming?"

"Sure," said Jo. The two of them walked along the shore in their bare feet, letting the wet sand ooze between their toes, collecting interesting shells and dropping them into the sack they'd brought along for that purpose.

At last Jo estimated they'd walked long enough.

"Come on, let's go back," she said to her sister.

Beth sighed, gazing longingly into the sack of shells. "All right."

They made their way back to where they'd been and were in the process of sitting on their quilt when the young blonde walked over to them carrying two paper plates, both piled high with steaming chicken.

"We thought you might like to share our cook-out," she said.

"Oh, we would! Thank you!" said Jo.

Beth smiled. "Thanks."

"I'm Daisy Kolchin, and that's my friend, Ryan Walker-Lane." The blonde nodded toward the young man, who was walking toward them.

"I'm Jo March, and this is my sister Beth," said Jo.

"Do you live nearby?" asked Daisy. "I don't remember ever seeing you here before."

"We live in Concord," Jo told her. "Where do you live?"

"We both live right around here," said Daisy. "We come to the beach all the time, even in the winter."

Beth smiled. "Lucky you! We usually only come a few times in the summer. This is our first time this year. I had a heart transplant a couple of months ago, and I only now feel strong enough to venture out."

Daisy's eyes widened in surprise. "That sounds serious! Well, I'm glad your transplant was a success and your recovery seems to be going well."

Ryan spoke for the first time. "Have you thought about trying to find out who the donor was so you can thank his or her family?"


	23. Beth's Letter

Beth shook her head. "I didn't want to bring back painful memories of their loss."

"I don't think it would do that at all," said Ryan. "I think they'd be happy to hear from you. I've known my whole life, the only reason I'm here is because my biological father donated sperm to my mother.'

"Was her husband infertile?" asked Jo.

Ryan shook his head. "My mothers are lesbians, and they wanted to have a baby together, so Mom Donna's brother, my Uncle David, donated sperm to Mom Carol."

"I think that's sweet!" said Beth.

"Seems a bit confusing to me," said Jo. "So your uncle is really your father?"

"Technically, yes," said Ryan. "But I've never called him Dad. I've always just called him Uncle Dave, and he's always been fine with it."

"Well, I've never heard a story quite like that before," said Jo.

Ryan chuckled. "Probably not many people have."

The group finished eating and cleaned up after themselves, and Jo searched in her beach bag for her cell phone. She turned it on, scrolled through her contacts, and frowned.

"That's strange. I know I saved his number under my contacts."

"Whose?" asked Beth.

"Fritz's!"

"Who's that?"

"Fritz Bhaer, my friend from New York. Don't you remember? He came to visit us and brought you a cat figurine."

Beth frowned as she slowly shook her head. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Jo."

Jo groaned in frustration. "I think the sun's gone to your head, Beth. I can't believe you don't remember something that just happened a couple of days ago."

Beth's eyes grew wide. "Honestly, Jo, I don't!"

It occurred to Jo she'd been assuming no time at all had passed in her life in Concord, just as no time had passed in her life in New York, after she'd spent two days in Martina's world. But what if she was wrong? It was still summer, and Beth was still recovering from her transplant, so obviously not a _lot _of time had passed, but still, it might have been different this time.

"I'm sorry, Beth. I didn't mean to upset you. I'm probably just rambling on about nonsense, as usual. Never mind me."

Beth said nothing for the rest of the time they were on the beach, and Jo remained deep in thought. Perhaps she'd only dreamed of meeting Fritz after all, she thought. Perhaps she'd dreamed the whole thing, just as she'd apparently dreamed of her life as Martina with Dieter.

Perhaps she was losing her mind, her grip on reality, her ability to distinguish between fantasy and reality.

She gave an involuntary shudder.

Other issues soon occupied her thoughts, as upon the sisters' return from the beach, Beth told their mother of her interest in contacting the family of her heart donor.

"We met a boy whose biological father was a sperm donor," she said. "Talking to him made me curious to find them."

"I'll get in touch with the hospital and find out what kind of information they have," Mrs. March offered.

Several days later, she had news for her daughter.

"I've heard from the hospital," she told her. "They told me you should write a letter to the family and then get in touch with the transplant center. They'll tell you how to proceed from there. I have the address right here." She handed it to Beth.

"I'll write to them right away!" said Beth, but as soon as she had the paper and pen in front of her, she panicked.

"I don't know how to write a letter like this! How do I start?"

"How about 'Dear Family'," Jo suggested.

"Thanks," said Beth. She wrote for several minutes, then looked at her sister. "Will you please look it over and tell me if it sounds OK?"

"Sure." Jo picked the letter up and began to read it.

_Dear Family,_

_I want to thank you so much for my new heart. I feel so much better now that I have it. For the first time, there is hope that I will be strong and healthy again, and I owe it all to you._

"Well, what do you think?" asked Beth.

"It's much too short," Jo told her. "You could tell them about your illness, about how long you had to wait for a transplant, about your hobbies and interests, about what you hope to accomplish in life. Also, don't forget they lost someone close to them. It would be nice if you expressed your regrets about their loss."

"See! You're so much better at this than me," said Beth. "Maybe you should just write the letter for me."

"What would be the point of that? Then it would be a letter from me, not from you," Jo pointed out.

Beth sighed. "You're right, of course." She chose a fresh sheet of paper and started over. She wrote for most of that afternoon, pausing frequently to think of what to say next.

Jo had showered and was settling in to watch 'Game of Thrones' when Beth meekly approached her with the revised letter. She took it from her sister and read it.

_Dear Family,_

_My name is Beth, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the gift of a second chance at life._

_Several years ago, I got really sick. The doctor didn't even know if I would make it or not, but he said if I did, I would have major heart damage. I recovered but was very weak. i would get tired out just from doing little things. I was put on the waiting list for a new heart.  
_

_It has now been several months since my transplant, and I feel much better. I can do things with my family again, and it's all because of your gift._

_I know you have lost someone close, and I'm very sorry about that. I hope it makes you feel better to find out how much my new heart has benefited me._

"Well, what do you think?" Beth asked when Jo had finished reading the letter.

"That's much better," Jo told her.


	24. Sarah

Beth mailed the letter, and then all that was left to do was await the response, if it came. As summer drew to a close, Jo realized she had to figure out what to do about the coming year. She lacked the desire to return to New York, as painful memories of the time she'd spent there with Fritz haunted her.

Or had that all been a dream?

"Hey Mom, remember that guy I told you about that I met in New York?" she asked her mother one day.

Mrs. March frowned. "What guy? I don't remember you mentioning anyone."

Jo sighed. "Never mind." First Beth had no memory of Fritz, and now her mother didn't, either. He must have been a figment of my imagination, Jo concluded.

Or had he?

Jo couldn't think of a possible way to find out. One thing she did know, however, was that without a car, her options were limited.

One day in August, Beth finally received the letter she'd been waiting for. Breathless with excitement, she showed the letter to Jo.

_Dear Beth,_

_Thank you very much for your letter. I can't tell you how much it means to me to hear from you, as I wasn't told anything at all about who would receive my son's heart. You sound like such a sweet young woman. I would love to meet you in person. For me, it's like a part of Karl is still alive in you.  
_

_Love,_

_Sarah Hummel_

"She wants to meet me!" Beth cried.

"Do you want to meet her?" asked her mother, and her smile disappeared. "It's up to you. I don't want you to feel pressured."

"I...um...well, yes, I believe I do."

* * *

Plans were made, directions were obtained, and one sunny day, Mrs. March and her two younger daughters traveled to Lowell to meet Mrs. Sarah Hummel.

At last they arrived at the red brick house. A tall tree grew at each side of the well manicured lawn. The windows and doors were trimmed in white, and four white pillars supported a porch which boasted a white porch swing and a small, round wooden table with two cast iron chairs.

A young boy playing in the front yard stopped his play to gaze at them curiously.

Mrs. March rang the doorbell, and a stout, blonde, middle-aged woman appeared. Deep wrinkles were at the corners of her bright blue eyes, and she wore a white sundress and brown sandals.

"You must be the Marches," she said. "Come on in."

"Thank you." Mrs. March smiled. "I'm Marge, and these are my daughters, Jo and Beth."

"Pleased to meet you." The woman gave her visitors a warm smile and extended her hand. "I'm Sarah." She led them into a cozy living room. The walls were white, and a large bookcase stood against one wall. A light gray wraparound couch dominated the room, and in front of it was a round cork table which held a potted plant and a short, fat white candle.

"This is all so lovely!" Beth cried.

"Thank you," said Sarah. "Please have a seat. How do you like your coffee?"

"Two creams and two sugars for all three of us," Mrs. March replied.

The three women sat on the sofa, which turned out to be incredibly comfortable. A few minutes later, Sarah brought them their coffee and then sat beside them.

"You're certainly a beautiful girl," Sarah told Beth.

"Thanks." Beth blushed furiously.

"She's very shy," Mrs. March put in. "She has a hard time meeting new people."

"I can tell," said Sarah. "I'm so glad to meet you, though."

"Would you like to tell us about your son?" asked Mrs. March.

"Gladly," Sarah replied. "Jonas and Karl were identical twins. Jonas was older by ten minutes. Even though they looked just alike, they had completely opposite personalities."

"That's interesting," Mrs. March remarked.

"Jonas has always been quiet, serious, and responsible," Sarah continued. "He always got good grades in school, was dependable and obedient, never got into trouble. He was a little shy, like you, Beth. He was a real bookworm - always read a lot. He knows so much about so many things - he's like a walking encyclopedia sometimes!"

"You must be very proud of him," said Mrs. March.

"Oh, I am!" said Sarah. Jo heard the door open, and the young boy from outside appeared.

"This is my youngest, Noah," Sarah told her guests. "Noah, this is Mrs. March and her daughters, Jo and Beth."

Noah nodded. "I just came in to get a Coke." He disappeared into the kitchen.

"How many children do you have?" asked Jo.

"Besides the twins, there's Henry, Lily, and then Noah. Henry's going into tenth grade, Lily into eighth, and Noah into fifth."

"Karl was Jonas's twin brother, right?" asked Mrs. March.

"Yes! He was my live wire." Sarah chuckled. "Always up to something. That boy and his practical jokes! When the twins were in high school, I worked full time and gave each child a list of chores to do after school. Karl, that stinker, he'd take chores off his own list and add them to the lists of the others. Later, Jonas remarked that he'd never understood why his own list was so long."

"That wasn't very nice," Jo put in.

"No, it wasn't, but Karl could charm his way out of anything," said Sarah. "He got _twenty _citations for his dirt bike not having the proper equipment, and he talked his way out of having to pay _every one _of them! You should have heard him! 'Oh no, sir, I'll never, _ever _do it again'!" She laughed. _"Twenty _citations!"

"Sounds like quite a guy!" said Jo.

She heard the door open.

"Oh, here come the others," said Sarah.

A few seconds later, two teenage boys and a teenage girl appeared.


End file.
